[{"content_id":163,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":1,"chapter_title":"Chapter 1","content":"

Yuan Ye, with a cigarette in his mouth, squatted on the emergency lane of the highway, his eyes slightly squinted from the smoke as he looked at his phone. On the phone was a young director from a production team, sending him a bunch of program schedules and details that had been confirmed.

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Yuan Ye typed out a message and sent it, interrupting the constant stream of messages from the other side: "Wait a minute."

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The young director on the other end asked, "What's wrong, Yuan-laoshi?"

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Yuan Ye replied, "Why did you contact me? Didn't Geng Jinwei terminate the contract with you guys?"

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The young director was confused, "...I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Yuan-laoshi."

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Yuan Ye asked, "Is this program still featuring Fang Shaoyi? Have you confirmed with him?"

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The young director was suddenly at a loss for words and didn't dare to reply. He probably went to ask his boss right away.

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With his phone tightly gripped in his hand, Yuan Ye furrowed his brows. Some cigarette ash fell onto his pants, and he bent down to blow it off before casually brushing away the remaining traces.

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Over a year ago, he and Fang Shaoyi signed up for a love travel program as a CP package deal. He had completely forgotten about it since then, and Fang Shaoyi wasn't fond of participating in variety shows either. Yuan Ye thought he must have declined the offer long ago. Suddenly receiving a message from the director, he was a bit caught off guard.

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After a while, the director replied, confirming that everything was settled and there were no issues on Fang Shaoyi's side.

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Standing up, Yuan Ye's legs were a bit numb from squatting for too long. He lightly shook his legs and dialed Fang Shaoyi's assistant Little Tao's number.

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The phone was answered quickly on the other end, and a voice called out, "Brother Ye?"

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Yuan Ye responded and asked directly, "You guys didn't reject that program?"

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"What program?" Little Tao realized what he meant and asked, "You mean <In Time>?"

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Yuan Ye made a sound of agreement.

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"We didn't reject it. Did they contact you? I was just about to talk to you about it these past few days, Brother Ye." Little Tao said over the phone.

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Yuan Ye asked again, "Is Fang Shaoyi going? His schedule is so tight this year, isn't he always filming?"

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Little Tao said, "We coordinated with the production team, and the timing works. What's wrong, Brother Ye? Do you have something going on over there? If you don't want to go, we can discuss it again and see if Brother Geng can decline it."

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After a moment of hesitation, Yuan Ye inserted his hand into his pocket and lowered his head in silence for a while before saying, "Since it's already signed, then I'll go."

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Originally, he had planned to visit some friends in the neighboring city today. However, halfway through the highway, he felt the car getting heavier and heavier. He pulled over to the side and found that both front tires were completely flat.

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He was either extremely unlucky or someone had intentionally punctured his tires. After hanging up the phone, Yuan Ye sat on the railing by the highway, waiting for someone to bring him new tires.

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The wind was a bit strong that day, and after being blown for a while, his face started to feel dry.

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When he arrived, the private room was already filled with people who had already had two rounds of drinks. As he pushed the door open, Ning Lu, who was closest to the door, walked over and grabbed his shoulder, teasing him, "Hey, we're not done yet. Did you come too early?"

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Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and turned to leave, "Then what? Should I go out and come back later?"

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The people in the room laughed and scolded him. Ning Lu dragged him over and made him sit down. It was impossible for him to escape the few drinks as punishment for coming so late.

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These people were all long-time friends, and a few of them were Yuan Ye's high school classmates, with whom he had a good relationship. Although these people often gathered in groups, Yuan Ye rarely came out to see them. With his stubborn personality, it took a lot of effort to get him to come out and meet them once.

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Yuan Ye smoked and watched his friends chat away. These were all well-known figures, even a popular TV host was among them. Yuan Ye had known him the longest, they were childhood friends.

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The TV host's name was Guan Zhou, usually behaving a gentleman in public, but behind closed doors, he was a boisterous drunk. When they drank, there were no limits to their conversations, and they quickly turned to vulgar topics.

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Someone asked, "Hey Zhou, I heard that the famous actress who just won an award is after you. She's been trying to get with you, have you given in yet? I heard they even went to your house to ask for you."

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Guan Zhou cursed, "Get lost."

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"Come on, tell us about it!"

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Guan Zhou shook his head and said sternly, "Don't be shameless, it's just a groundless rumor."

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When men drink, they can be quite sleazy. Chattering away, they pestered Guan Zhou for the latest gossip in the entertainment industry. As a TV host, Guan Zhou had a wide social circle and knew everything that was going on.

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However, he rarely talked about it and never divulged any secrets or gossip at the dinner table. This made him very popular in the industry.

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Yuan Ye leaned back in his chair and pointed at the group of people, saying, "You guys are really idle, aren't you?"

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Guan Zhou met his gaze and laughed, saying, "Yeah, who wouldn't be? But I've got Brother Yuan to back me up."

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Yuan Ye beckoned Guan Zhou over and said, "Come on, sit here with me. Let's see who can be even more shameless."

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With a grin on his face, Guan Zhou walked over with his own cup, pushing Ning Lu aside and squeezing in next to Yuan Ye. He clinked his cup against Yuan Ye's and they both took a sip of their drinks.

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The table was filled with friends and brothers, but there were still varying degrees of closeness. In this room, there were a few people who were closer to Yuan Ye, including Guan Zhou.

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Guan Zhou's family and Yuan Ye's family had been close since they were young, and Yuan Ye was always a mischievous troublemaker. Guan Zhou had always looked out for him. As they grew older, their statuses and positions changed, but their friendship remained the same.

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Guan Zhou would often joke, "Yuan Ye's got my back," a phrase that he had been saying since they were young. That year, at the grand wedding of Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi, Guan Zhou was the host.

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Everyone thought Guan Zhou was there for Fang Shaoyi, after all, half of the industry was there for him, and also for Fang Shaoyi's father who had great status and influence in the industry. But Guan Zhou was not there for them, he was there for his good brother, who was Yuan Ye.

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Yuan Ye is now thirty-three years old, no longer the mischievous boy he once was. But as soon as he sits down, his short hair is almost shaved to his scalp, he holds a cigarette and lifts his chin, looking at people from under his thin eyelids.

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His cool and handsome face still bears the scars of his mischievous childhood, clearly still the same as he was back then.

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After a few more rounds of drinks, everyone was a little tipsy.

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Guan Zhou broke his usual habit and lit a cigarette. He usually avoided smoking and drinking to protect his throat, but he occasionally indulged when he was with friends.

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He took a puff and turned his head to look at Yuan Ye, calling out, "Brother."

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"Hmm?" Yuan Ye looked over, raising an eyebrow and waiting for him to speak.

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Guan Zhou looked at him and said, "I heard...you're going to be on our TV show?"

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Yuan Ye didn't react much, just replied, "Ah." Then he casually asked, "Is it your station's?"

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Guan Zhou frowned and said, "It doesn't matter which station, have you thought about it properly?"

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Yuan Ye turned his gaze back to the group of people drinking and making noise. Everyone was doing their own thing, and no one could hear their whispered conversation. It was like they were separated by a barrier, which was quite interesting.

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Yuan Ye laughed and said, "What's the big deal? It's just a show."

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"Bullshit," Guan Zhou took another drag of his cigarette, his expression not looking too good. "You should focus on writing your own stuff. Why are you getting involved in this circle? Once you're on the show, you'll have one foot in the circle. With your personality, you're just asking to be criticized."

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Yuan Ye drank some more and his eyes became slightly red. He chuckled, "It doesn't matter. I don't care what they say."

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"What's wrong with you?" Guan Zhou was a bit frustrated. "You literary people always look down on these things. Didn't you also curse them before? Why bother to attract so much trouble and make a fool of yourself?"

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Yuan Ye has always been stubborn and difficult, like a stubborn donkey, with a bad temper. That day, no matter how Guan Zhou spoke, he still had a nonchalant attitude, with a faint smile on his face, and he didn't change his mind.

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Later, Guan Zhou had another drink with him. After taking a big gulp of alcohol, his eyes turned red, maybe because of the alcohol.

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He lowered his voice and pointed at Yuan Ye, saying, "...you're still pretending to me!"

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Yuan Ye looked over.

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Guan Zhou rubbed his face hard and stared out at Yuan Ye. "I knew it all along, don't think I didn't know just because I didn't ask you. You and Fang Shaoyi separated a long time ago!"

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The smile on Yuan Ye's face slowly disappeared. He looked straight at Guan Zhou and asked calmly, "Where did you hear this from?"

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Guan Zhou sneered and looked at Yuan Ye as if he were a fool. "There are no secrets in this circle. Who could you possibly hide it from? You're so brainless that you're even going on that stupid show with him, pretending to be a couple. Saying 'I love you' and 'you love me'? When it's all said and done, if I don't strip you down to your underwear, I'm too naive!"

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Yuan Ye didn't say a word for a long time. He just turned his head and lit a cigarette in silence. He had recently picked up smoking again after quitting, and his addiction was even worse than before.

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"Brother Ye," Guan Zhou called out to him.

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Yuan Ye responded.

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Guan Zhou was direct this time, throwing a question right at Yuan Ye: "Did you really get divorced? When did it happen?"

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Yuan Ye put down his lighter, the metal object tapping against the glass table with a crisp sound. He nodded and said, "Yeah, we got divorced."

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He lifted his hand to remove the cigarette from his mouth, smoke swirling in front of his eyes.

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Yuan Ye didn't show much emotion, simply stating, "It's been over a year."

\n","published_time":"2023-04-10T00:16:06.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:41.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":170,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":2,"chapter_title":"Chapter 2","content":"

Ever since he was born, Yuan Ye was a troublemaker, always getting into trouble. It seemed like he was born without a sense of discipline, causing his family constant worry.

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Yuan Ye's father, Yuan Anping, was a literature professor who studied ancient Chinese culture. He lived his life by strict rules and regulations, and many times he would laugh helplessly and say, "The only thing I did out of the ordinary in my life was having Yuan Ye."

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Yuan Ye was nothing like his father. He was incredibly talented and intelligent, skipping three grades in elementary school and one grade in high school. However, he got into a fight with someone in high school and injured them, causing him to repeat a grade.

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He was mischievous, rebellious, and had a bad temper, often getting into trouble. Although his parents sometimes got angry, they actually indulged him. What boy isn't mischievous? If a little boy isn't like that, he's not really a boy.

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When it came time to select his division for the high school classes, his family wanted him to study science, but he secretly chose humanities. After a year in the humanities class, he transferred to the science class, but after two months, he felt bored and went back to humanities.

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His family couldn't control him, and his stubbornness was too strong. Even if they talked to him, he wouldn't listen.

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In college, Yuan Ye was three or four years younger than his college peers. While they were eighteen or nineteen years old when they entered college, Yuan Ye was only fifteen in his freshman year. He had planned to study management, but in a moment of confusion during the application process, he ended up choosing Chinese.

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Yuan Ye was never one to follow the rules or do things in a conventional way. He always managed to come up with some unconventional ideas. His family was used to it and knew that he had a mischievous streak.

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Then, when Yuan Ye turned twenty, he suddenly came home and announced that he was getting married.

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It was summertime, and Yuan Ye had shaved his head because of the heat. He had only a short stubble of a beard on his young face. With a bald head, he shamelessly grinned and said to his parents, "Mom and Dad, I'm getting married."

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This enraged his father, Yuan Anping, who angrily kicked him out of the house.

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He and Fang Shaoyi talked about how their friends always saw them as playing around, waiting for the day he would come home and say it was over. But instead, before graduating from his master's program, Yuan Ye went home and announced that he was going to marry Fang Shaoyi.

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His family would never agree to this, as Yuan Ye was only twenty and still immature. How could they let him marry someone from the entertainment industry, which was full of scandals? Besides, he was too young to even legally get married.

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But two years later, on Yuan Ye's twenty-second birthday, he and Fang Shaoyi got their marriage certificate.

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He returned home and playfully coaxed his parents, but his father warned him, "You're treating yourself like a joke. You'll regret it sooner or later."

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At that time, Yuan Ye was in his youthful arrogance, thinking he was invincible. He nodded and said, "I regret nothing. Life is a play, and I will act out my own role."

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That year, Yuan Ye wrote a book called "The Axis". When you open the first page, the author's introduction only has one sentence - Yuan Ye is not a writer, just a person who spins the axis.

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At the age of 25, Fang Shaoyi was the youngest groom in the entertainment industry, while Yuan Ye was only 22. Many people thought their wedding was a joke and couldn't figure out if it was a publicity stunt or if they were just naive. Most people were waiting to see when they would divorce.

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Fang Shaoyi was so handsome that day, wearing a white suit and looking tall, handsome, and charming. He had everyone, including Yuan Ye, mesmerized. Yuan Ye joked with him, "Hey, if we ever get divorced, you can never wear a white suit again."

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Fang Shaoyi looked at him and frowned, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

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Yuan Ye grinned and said, "I'm serious."

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In public, both of them had to speak in hushed tones, with unchanged expressions and a poised smile always on their faces. Only in their private conversations could they speak freely.

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Fang Shaoyi lowered his voice and said to him, "Don't act up, little monkey. Today is my wedding day, so shut your trap."

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At that moment, Yuan Ye looked up and burst into laughter, looking like a complete rascal.

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Fang Shaoyi looked at him with a helpless and indulgent expression. He had never been able to control this wild monkey. He was always an honest person, never willing to hide his love or worry about how it might affect their future. He threw caution to the wind and declared his passionate love to the world.

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For someone who was usually low-key and steady, the most flamboyant and extravagant thing he ever did was his grand and magnificent wedding.

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......

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Guan Zhou asked why Yuan Ye had divorced and what had caused it.

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Yuan Ye finished smoking a cigarette, threw the remaining cigarette butt into a wine glass, and picked up a wet towel to wipe his face. After wiping, he said lightly, "Our fate had come to an end."

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When Yuan Ye got married, he was in his early twenties, but now he's in his thirties. Life has entered a new stage, and many things around him are different.

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When he was young, he wanted to conquer the world and get everything he wanted. He lived his life recklessly. Now, some readers jokingly call him "Uncle Wild". From "Little Yuan" to "Uncle Wild", life grows through its paces, stages layering on each other, until Fang Shaoyi disappeared from his life.

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With a chuckle, Yuan Ye stood up and walked out. The room was stuffy and hot, but as soon as he stepped into the corridor, a cool breeze blew over him, instantly clearing his mind of all the jumbled thoughts.

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Just before the official recording of the program, two more members of the production team came to him with a few more contracts to sign. Ji Xiaotao assured him that he could sign the contracts without worry, as everything that needed to be discussed had already been taken care of on their end.

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Yuan Ye simply replied over the phone, "If you guys say it's okay, then it's okay. I'm too lazy to read it."

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Ji Xiaotao laughed and said, "Okay, Brother Ye, don't worry about it. Just treat it as a few trips out of the house."

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"Mm," Yuan Ye replied in a flat tone. "Call me if there's anything else."

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"Okay, bro, get some rest," said Ji Xiaotao. He had known Yuan Ye for many years and their relationship was quite close. However, as he was Fang Shaoyi's assistant, and Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye had cut ties cleanly, he couldn't really become close friends with Yuan Ye. It just wasn't possible.

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Yuan Ye hummed in agreement and hung up the phone. It was already 10 pm and he had taken a shower and smoked a cigarette. He should have gone to bed, but his mind was still alert and he wasn't feeling sleepy.

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Thinking about that program made Yuan Ye a little annoyed. He always hated being filmed by a camera. The lens made him feel restrained and he didn't like being confined, being framed in a square lens like a performing monkey in a zoo, without any freedom. Guan Zhou was actually right, his mind must have been clouded when he accepted this job.

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Yuan Ye turned on his computer, not in the mood to write anything, just casually flipping through his photos. He didn't like being photographed by others, but he loved taking pictures, ever since he was in school.

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Looking at the world through the viewfinder, the whole world was still, even if the scene was moving at the time, it would eventually come to a stop. Whether it was beautiful or ugly, open or closed, it was nothing more than a collection of countless moments, always stopping, always being frozen in time.

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The photos were not arranged in order, they were all jumbled up. Yuan Ye never liked organizing things, and in the past, when he had free time, Fang Shaoyi would help him sort them out. But in the past year or two, the photos were all randomly stored, without any rules.

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Yuan Ye's gaze fell on a certain photo, lingering for two seconds before he clicked on it.

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The scene was a brilliant gold. The sun poured down from the sky, illuminating the lawn behind the small building. It was just an ordinary photo, neither beautiful nor ugly, but the sunlight made it look nice, so it was taken on a whim. Now, even through the screen, you could see the bright and dazzling light of that moment.

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Yuan Ye looked at the photo for a long time, his eyes seemingly calm. He even furrowed his brow at one point. He reached for his cigarette case, but then decided against it and put it back. Finally, he let out a laugh, sat back in his chair, and stretched his arms out to relax.

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Late at night, the mind can't help but wander. Yuan Ye used to think of himself as carefree, but now he felt like he was occasionally being melodramatic.

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He couldn't help but think of that small patch of land.

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Forget it, he thought, might as well go take a look.

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For ten years, Yuan Ye has lived in this house since he married Fang Shaoyi. Back then, this area was still considered suburban, with just a few villa communities. But as the city expanded, their neighborhood became a district within the city.

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It's been almost a year since Yuan last visited, and he still feels like the house is too big and empty. His current two-bedroom apartment is just right for him, not too big or too small.

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As he drove up, the sensor at the gate beeped, but the door didn't budge. The gate is supposed to automatically recognize the license plates of his and Fang Shaoyi's cars, but now, with his car parked right in front of it, the gate remained unresponsive.

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Sitting in his car, Yuan couldn't help but feel a bit ridiculous.

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He was about to turn around and leave when a security guard ran out of the gatehouse and greeted him, "Hey, Brother Yuan is back? It's been a long time since we've seen you. What have you been up to?"

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As he spoke, he used a remote control to open the gate.

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Yuan Ye rolled down his car window and waved as a greeting before asking the security guard, "Yeah, I've been out. Is something wrong with the gate?"

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"No, it's not broken. I thought it was a car from outside, but then I saw it was your car," the security guard replied, unsure of what was going on. "You can go in first, Brother Yuan. I'll ask the property manager later."

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Yuan Ye nodded and said, "No need. I think the system just updated. I'll go in first, and you can help me open the gate when I come back out."

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"Okay, Brother Yuan, you can go in. Just give me a shout when you come out, I'll be able to hear you," said the security guard.

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Yuan Ye entered the gate and lightly honked his horn as a thank you. The guard waved at him from behind. Yuan Ye looked at him through the rearview mirror and shook his head with a faint smile.

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Did he even need to ask? He and Fang Shaoyi had separated long ago, and he had already moved out of this house. There was no reason for him to come back, and his license plate was probably already removed from the system. He had forgotten about this, or else he wouldn't have come today.

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He didn't just come here for the small lawn from the photo, but also because he had left behind a few cameras and lenses. When he left in a hurry, he didn't have time to collect everything, and he had always planned to come back for them. But he never got around to it.

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But his belongings should eventually be brought away, it wasn't right to take up others' space.

\n","published_time":"2023-04-16T19:10:05.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:44.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":177,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":3,"chapter_title":"Chapter 3","content":"

The backyard lawn was overgrown with weeds, as no one had been there to tend to it. The pool was empty and looked a bit run-down and dirty.

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Inside the house, there was no one to be found, but the furnishings were just as they were when he left. He didn't spend much time looking around and instead gathered his belongings, sat on the grass in the backyard for a while, took a few photos, and then left.

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After all, this wasn't his home, and it wouldn't be right to act like the owner by moving things around and touching things. When something is broken, it's broken, and it's best to let it go and give people their freedom. Don't act like things used to be, or everyone will feel uncomfortable.

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After he left, he still sent a message to Ji Xiaotao: "Xiaotao, I've gone back to the house in the East District to pack some things. Let your brother know when you have a chance."

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Ji Xiaotao was probably busy and didn't reply immediately. It wasn't until the afternoon that he replied with a message: "Okay, Brother Ye, no problem."

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Fang Shaoyi had been filming out of town, so they hadn't met or talked before the show started recording. They just started filming without any prior discussion.

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On the day of the recording, the filming crew went to Fang Shaoyi's location first, while Yuan Ye flew over on his own and they met at the airport. Two hours later, they flew directly to a certain island in Asia.

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The process was all planned out beforehand, and Yuan Ye remembered the sequence quite clearly. He had it all under control. But even so, as the plane landed and taxied, he couldn't help but furrow his brow, looking less than thrilled.

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Yuan Ye had on a ski hat and his hands were in his pockets as he walked out of the exit, when he heard someone call out his name - "Yuan Ye."

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His leg almost gave out as he stepped forward, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew that voice all too well, and just hearing one word was enough to identify the person.

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He looked up and met the person's gaze. They locked eyes, and each felt their own emotions stirring inside.

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Yuan Ye walked over with a faint smile, looking into the person's eyes and calling out, "Brother Yi."

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After opening his eyes, he waved to the camera crew behind the man and greeted them, "Hello everyone, nice to meet you, I'm Yuan Ye. Sorry, my flight was delayed."

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He stood about half a meter away from Fang Shaoyi, who took a step forward and put his arm around Yuan Ye's shoulder. His breath caught Yuan Ye off guard, and he looked down as he heard Fang Shaoyi say, "Let me formally introduce everyone, this is Yuan Ye, a knowledgeable-type."

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The director filming on the side whispered with a smile, "I'm a fan of Uncle Ye, I have all your books."

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Yuan Ye smiled at her and thanked her. After a year, this was the first time Yuan Ye had seen Fang Shaoyi. He hadn't changed much, just a little thinner and with shorter hair.

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In front of the camera, Yuan Ye shamelessly stared at Fang Shaoyi sitting across from him. It was both their first time filming a variety show, and even though Fang Shaoyi was familiar with the camera, they were both still not quite used to it and didn't say much.

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Yuan Ye had nothing to say, so he just kept staring at Fang Shaoyi.

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Fang Shaoyi looked over and raised an eyebrow, asking him, "Why are you staring at me?"

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Yuan Ye looked at him and said, "It's been a while since we've seen each other, so I wanted to take a good look at you."

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Fang Shaoyi tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing an extremely handsome face. His smile was particularly alluring.

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But as Fang Shaoyi smiled at him, Yuan Ye suddenly noticed that there were fine lines at the corners of his eyes. The delicate lines that radiated from the corners of his eyes added a touch of age to his face, which was quite charming.

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Yuan Ye's mind flashed back to the time when Fang Shaoyi was still a student many years ago, and then he smiled to himself.

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36-year-old Fang Shaoyi was different from 20-year-old Fang Shaoyi.

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"What's wrong?" Fang Shaoyi asked him.

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Yuan Ye raised his head and asked with a hint of laughter in his voice, "Are you filming outside and not taking care of your skin with essence and massage?"

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Fang Shaoyi didn't quite understand what he meant and raised an eyebrow lightly.

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In the midst of their photography session, Yuan Ye teased, "Let's get a close-up of Fang-laoshi's face. Look at those wrinkles! You're only 36, are you sure you're not feeling embarrassed?"

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Fang Shaoyi chuckled and shook his head, "We're filming a show, don't talk nonsense. Have I gotten old?"

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Yuan Ye shook his head and replied with a smile, "No way, you're still young."

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Fang Shaoyi became famous at a young age and started acting when he was very young.

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His father, Fang Han, was a well-known artist in the film and television industry. Many people said that Fang Shaoyi's achievements were all due to his father, making him a typical second-generation star.

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Yuan Ye had even gotten on gotten into a rage on his own Weibo account because of this matter. Anyway, but he never held back his anger. If he was upset, he would just curse them out. At that time, he posted on his Weibo account: "Go f*** yourself, what second-generation star."

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He didn't care if people said his writing was bad or garbage, but he couldn't stand anyone insulting Fang Shaoyi. If you insulted him, he would insult you back. Over the years, fewer and fewer people talk about it.

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It's because everyone can see that Fang Shaoyi is truly talented and hardworking, just like his father was back in the day. He's always been low-key and you hardly ever hear about him in entertainment news or gossip when he's not working. He doesn't get involved in any messy business.

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A few years ago, his film "Chen Qing" won two Best Actor awards in China, and no one could argue that he didn't deserve them. Like father, like son - Fang Han couldn't have raised a bad son.

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In the entertainment industry, the only thing that surprised people about Fang Shaoyi was that he got married at a young age. It caused quite a stir and many people laughed at him. However, Fang Shaoyi's family didn't really object to it.

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In a previous interview, Fang Han once said that he and his wife wouldn't interfere too much in their son's love life.

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It's not necessary. Fate comes and goes, and it's up to the individual to decide. The family won't get involved, nor can they.

\n\n

At only 36 years old, Fang Shaoyi was still considered a young actor in the industry. Most male stars his age were still hiding their relationships, let alone getting married.

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi had been married for over ten years.

\n\n

It was quite amusing, considering there was another couple on the show who were in their thirties and still considered part of the young couple group. They had only been together for a short time and were often seen as fresh-faced and inexperienced.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye, at 36 and 33 years old respectively, were not much older than the other couple, but they were already considered part of the "old couple" group.

\n\n

Married for ten years and still not considered an old couple? Come on, if they were put in a group of married straight couples, their kids would already be several years old.

\n\n

Every now and then, they exchanged a few words with each other. Although they didn't talk much, they didn't completely freeze up either.

\n\n

After all, the airport was a place where people come and go. They put on a big show, with several cameras pointed at them, and there were bound to be passersby who recognized Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

However, Fang Shaoyi wasn't really a popular celebrity, and he didn't have those overly enthusiastic fans who were hard to handle. If someone recognized him, they would just say hello and ask for an autograph, and that was it.

\n\n

It wasn't until they boarded the plane and sat in their seats that Yuan Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief. From an angle that the cameras couldn't capture, he looked out with a furrowed brow, his expression seeming a bit irritable.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sat next to him, and the two of them had acted enough in front of the camera. Now that the camera wasn't rolling, no one spoke.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned to look at the cameraman, who was busy tinkering with his equipment. He leaned in and whispered to the assistant director, "Are we going to film on the plane?"

\n\n

The assistant director whispered back, "We'll film a few scenes on the plane later. The cinematographer will let us know in advance. You and Mr. Yuan can take a nap if you're tired."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned back and didn't say anything. He put on an eye mask, adjusted his seat, and pretended to sleep.

\n\n

Yuan Yuan turned around and took off his microphone.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had his eyes covered, allowing Yuan Ye to stare at him unabashedly. Under the blindfold, Fang Shaoyi's nose stood tall and his lips were tightly pursed, his profile and jawline sharp and handsome. As Yuan Ye gazed upon his face, it was a face he knew all too well, a face that intoxicated and captivated him.

\n\n

Although he had mentally prepared himself beforehand, when Fang Shaoyi called out to him at the airport, Yuan Ye couldn't help but feel momentarily flustered. He managed to put on a brave face in front of the camera, but his heart was hanging by a thread.

\n\n

After all, this was Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

They had gotten together before either of them had turned twenty, when they were both just wild monkeys, foolishly trying to take a bite out of the moon.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled wryly and closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

\n\n

What nonsense is he still thinking about?

\n\n

Sitting on a plane for several hours wasn't very comfortable, but the shots of Yuan Ye were turning out well, and the work team was able to chat and laugh.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a bit quiet next to him. When he didn't speak or smile, he seemed a bit grave. Yuan Ye even patted his face and said to the camera, "See that? Fang-laoshi is already quite old, he even wakes up with a bad temper."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi grabbed his hand and took it off his face, but then held onto it, possibly to make sure the camera captured it. Their palms were pressed together, and Yuan Ye's hand was sweaty.

\n\n

He licked his lips and felt the urge to smoke.

\n\n

This is a program where they travel and play games, it's quite relaxed, just wandering around and having fun. Their first stop is a beautiful little island that they've been to before. They're the first couple to arrive, the other three celebrity couples haven't arrived yet.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao arrived before them to see if there's anything that needed to be arranged in advance. He saw Yuan Ye and quickly ran over, shouting with a smile, "Brother Ye!"

\n\n

"Hey, I hear you, if you speak any louder, you'll knock me over," Yuan Ye laughed. "Speak a little quieter, take care of us old folks' ears."

\n\n

He raised his hand and pulled his ear, and he and Fang Shaoyi's only let go of each other's hands now.

\n\n

As soon as their hands parted, the damp palms suddenly touched the air and turned icy cold.

\n","published_time":"2023-04-24T01:31:04.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:47.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":187,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":4,"chapter_title":"Chapter 4","content":"

Four couples participated in this program, two same-sex and two opposite-sex. They were either newlyweds or couples who had been together for a long time.

\n\n

By evening, the other couples had also arrived. The program team was determined to get high ratings and was willing to spend money, as these four couples were valuable. Apart from Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye, there was a Hong Kong former movie star and her wealthy lover, a tender new couple who were the same age as Fang Shaoyi, and another young couple in their early twenties who had not yet publicly announced their relationship and were walking the ambiguous line.

\n\n

These two veteran couples are both very influential. Fang Shaoyi and the leading actress Chen Ru's positions were hard-won when they were signed.

\n\n

The other two new couples are currently very popular, with their own topics and online heat, and their traffic is considerable. Signing them was not cheap.

\n\n

Each group had to greet each other when they arrived. Fang Shaoyi and Chen Ru had worked together before and had even filmed a movie together in their early years, so they were quite familiar with each other. The other two groups were completely unfamiliar, and even Yuan Ye had never heard of them.

\n\n

The two youngest ones were the most polite and respectful. In their eyes, these people were all seniors, even though they themselves had strong traffic now, the gap in status was not small.

\n\n

Dinner was arranged at the hotel, and all of them had to sit down together for a meal. After all, they had to record the program together, so it was a good idea to get to know each other over dinner.

\n\n

Lin Tian was the most active in creating a lively atmosphere, having long been active in various variety shows and knowing how to control the rhythm. The youngest, Chi Xing and Cheng Xun, also had experience and a strong sense of variety.

\n\n

Chen Ru and her husband were from Hong Kong, and unrestrained and very open-minded. Only Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye were quiet, not very proactive in speaking, and sometimes couldn't keep up with others' thoughts, leaving everyone wondering what they wanted to say.

\n\n

Yuan Ye kept his head down and ate his food, while Fang Shaoyi occasionally added dishes and soup for him.

\n\n

"Yuan-laoshi, don't just keep eating. Chat with us instead. Haha, Yuan-laoshi is too pragmatic!"

\n\n

The topic suddenly fell on him, and Yuan Ye looked up at Lin Tian. The other person was smiling at him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at everyone and said, "Sure, let's chat."

\n\n

His serious response made everyone laugh again. Emotions in variety shows are always exaggerated.

\n\n

"Let him eat. When Yuan-laoshi is hungry, he gets anxious if he doesn't eat," Fang Shaoyi said, sitting next to him.

\n\n

He added a spoonful of soup to Yuan Ye's bowl and said to the others, "He's not very good at chatting, so if he talks, it might kill the mood."

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at him and nodded with a smile. "Yeah, my friends usually chat without me because they find me annoying."

\n\n

These two people don't usually make headlines, they just focus on their own work. Yuan Ye used to post on Weibo more often in the past, but not so much in recent years. They are somewhat mysterious to the outside world, two low-key individuals who rarely appear in public.

\n\n

When the program team leaked the news that they would be appearing on the show, the audience's appetite was already whetted.

\n\n

Lin Tian smiled and asked, "Brothers, so how do you guys chat at home? You both seem to be men of few words. Don't you get bored?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought to himself, 'Who are you calling 'brother'? You're actually a year older than me.' He joked, "We don't talk, we just communicate with each other through eye contact. Our home is silent."

\n\n

Everyone at the table burst into laughter.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took over the conversation and chatted with others. He rested one arm on Yuan Ye's back and let him continue eating before moving his arm away.

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at him and decided to continue eating his own food since he was no longer needed. He was feeling increasingly agitated and disliked the noisy atmosphere.

\n\n

The smiles on everyone's faces seemed fake, and holding up his end of the conversation was exhausting. Fang Shaoyi knew him well and understood that Yuan Ye's patience was wearing thin.

\n\n

After finishing his meal, Yuan Ye put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth in silence. Fang Shaoyi was still chatting with others when he turned to ask, "Are you full?"

\n\n

"Yes," Yuan Ye nodded. "I noticed you didn't eat much."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi whispered, "If you're not feeling well, you can go rest. You don't have to worry about this."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

\n\n

After finishing their meal, they each went back to their rooms with no other plans. The filming still had to continue, capturing their daily lives.

\n\n

As soon as Yuan Ye entered his room, he collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes, saying, "I'm tired."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi adjusted the room temperature slightly higher and walked over to pat Yuan Ye's leg, saying, "Go take a shower first."

\n\n

Yuan Ye opened his eyes and looked at him. Their eyes met, but Yuan Ye didn't say anything. He just looked at him silently.

\n\n

Then, he turned his gaze to the cameras that were still filming around the room. He reached out and grabbed a pillow to cover his face, saying in a muffled voice, "They're still filming, I feel embarrassed."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled, his eyes and eyebrows softening as he did so.

\n\n

He stood by the bed and nudged Yuan Ye, who was lying there, with his knee. "Tch, Why are you embarrassed? They're not going to go in and film you showering," he said with a chuckle.

\n\n

"I'm still embarrassed. You go ahead and shower, I'll do it later," Yuan Ye replied, his arms pinned under the pillow and his voice barely audible.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi removed the pillow from Yuan Ye's face. "Don't suffocate yourself," he said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's eyes were red, possibly from being suffocated by the pillow earlier.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood there, looking at him, but Yuan Ye refused to meet his gaze. He pouted and turned over, avoiding the camera's view of his face.

\n\n

Afterwards, he lay there motionless like he was asleep.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi went in to take a shower, and the photographer walked over to take close-up shots of Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his hand to block the camera, still half asleep with his face buried in the pillow and a nasal tone in his voice as he begged for mercy, "Brother, stop filming. You've been shooting all day. Let me catch my breath."

\n\n

So the photographer could only capture the back of his head and one ear.

\n\n

That was the end of the first day's filming. Fang Shaoyi finished blow-drying his hair and the photographer packed up and left. Yuan Ye remained in the same position, as if he were still asleep.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi walked to the window and stood there, looking outside with light footsteps. The room fell into absolute silence, so quiet that they couldn't even hear each other's breathing.

\n\n

The sea breeze outside blew fiercely, making it feel cold. The sudden vibration of the phone in the room was a bit jarring.

\n\n

Yuan Ye reached into his pocket and answered the call, still lying on the bed with the phone pressed to his ear. "Hello?"

\n\n

"Yeah, I'm here. Been recording all day."

\n\n

"...he's here too."

\n\n

"Don't worry, everything's fine."

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled, his voice muffled by the bed. His laughter sounded relaxed, and he spoke with a smile, "When I was 23, you guys didn't worry about me this much. I'm 33 now, an old man. So, stop worrying about me and worry more about yourself and Professor Yuan, okay?"

\n\n

He chatted a bit more on the phone before hanging up.

\n\n

All the calls had been answered, and there was no more reason to pretend. Yuan Ye let out a long sigh and sat up in bed with a thud.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't turn around, and Yuan Ye didn't call out to him either.

\n\n

It had been too long since they had been in the same room together. What used to be comfortable and warm now felt awkward and dull. Yuan Ye had been unable to sleep the whole time.

\n\n

How could he sleep in a place that wasn't his bed?

\n\n

It was just that when Fang Shaoyi had told him to go take a shower earlier, he had followed along absentmindedly. Yuan Ye didn't know which nerve in his brain had malfunctioned, but his emotions suddenly surged, and his eyes felt sore.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned around and asked him in a flat voice without any emotion, "Is everything okay at home?"

\n\n

"Yeah, everything's fine," Yuan Ye replied in the same tone.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned around and stood, with Yuan Ye sitting next to him, his arms propped on his knees and his hands casually crossed in front of him. Neither of them had anything to say, and after a while, Yuan Ye asked, "Can I smoke inside?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow at him. "Smoke?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye felt his pocket and realized he didn't have any cigarettes on him since he was recording a program today. He shook his head and laughed, "Never mind."

\n\n

He knew Fang Shaoyi was staring at him. His eyes had a powerful and warm gaze when they fell on people. Even if Yuan Ye didn't look up, he could feel Fang Shaoyi's eyes on him.

\n\n

The air in this room is so stuffy, it felt like it was about to solidify. Yuan Ye took a deep breath and habitually rubbed his head, the small scar beside his eyelid becoming more noticeable in the light.

\n\n

He said to Fang Shaoyi, "It's getting late, you should rest early. I'm going to wash up and go to bed too."

\n\n

The production team had prepared a suite for them, but there was only one bed. Yuan Ye couldn't stay here, he had already asked Ji Xiaotao to book him an extra room and moved all his things there.

\n\n

As he was about to leave, Fang Shaoyi called out to him, "Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye turned around and said, "Mmhmm."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi spoke in a calm voice, "If you find this show annoying, you don't have to continue recording. Go back and talk to Geng Jinwei about it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and looked at him, "Are you annoyed? It's up to you, if you don't want to record anymore, you can quit. I'm fine with it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brows and stared at him, "Don't avoid the question, I'm asking about you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was wearing a casual jacket and black jeans. He had his hands in his pockets and was half-turned with a smile on his face, looking at Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had just finished showering and was wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants, looking fresh and comfortable. Yuan Ye had the same outfit, and coincidentally, he had also brought it to wear to bed.

\n\n

Suddenly, Yuan Ye laughed and turned to face Fang Shaoyi. He carefully examined Fang Shaoyi's face, then nodded with a cold, sarcastic tone, "I'm fucking annoyed."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were deep and dark, but before he could speak, Yuan Ye continued, "...But I still want to continue."

\n\n

Walking two steps forward, Yuan Ye faced Fang Shaoyi and grabbed his T-shirt, asking, "Do you think I'm crazy?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi noticed the small scar at the corner of Yuan Ye's eye, which had been there for many years and was once quite noticeable, but now it was almost invisible without proper lighting.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "If you don't want to shoot anymore, just say so. No need to force yourself."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and absentmindedly rubbed his fingers together, a subconscious gesture indicating his desire to smoke. He turned around and walked away, raising his arm in a dismissive gesture.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-01T03:42:27.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:51.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":194,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":5,"chapter_title":"Chapter 5","content":"

As soon as the sun rose, Yuan Ye got up and finished tidying up Fang Shaoyi's room. Ji Xiaotao was also there and greeted him, "Brother Ye, you're up early!"

\n\n

"It's alright, I didn't sleep late last night." Yuan Ye tilted his chin towards the room and asked, "Has your brother woken up yet?"

\n\n

"He has, he went out for a run." Ji Xiaotao replied, then asked, "How are you doing, Brother Ye?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat on the sofa, rubbed his face and smiled, "Just fine, what else can I say?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew what the program for today would be, it was already written in the schedule. They were going to climb a mountain and spend the night up there. The four teams were divided into two groups, with one group staying in a small cabin on the mountain and the other group sleeping in tents.

\n\n

Yuan Ye felt a bit stuffy at the thought of having a camera following him all day, but he had volunteered for this, so he couldn't complain.

\n\n

They drew lots to determine the groups, and Yuan Ye ended up with the two young kids, Chi Xing and Cheng Xun. Each of them carried a backpack and looked ready for the climb. Yuan Ye patted Chi Xing's backpack and asked with a smile, "What did you pack in there?"

\n\n

Chi Xing smiled shyly and replied, "We haven't climbed a mountain before, so we didn't know what to bring. We just brought some water and snacks."

\n\n

Yuan Ye also carried a backpack, but compared to the others, his was negligible. He only brought it to hold things, as today's game rule was to see who could find the most hidden items sponsored by the company. Whichever team found the most would get to sleep in the cabin. The two teams across from them were a bit stunned when they saw how well-equipped they were.

\n\n

Lin Tian asked her boyfriend, "Why didn't you bring a backpack?"

\n\n

Her boyfriend looked innocent and replied, "Didn't you tell me not to?"

\n\n

"You're listening to me now? How come you're not usually this obedient?"

\n\n

Chen Ru was also empty-handed. She gave a signal to her wealthy husband, who immediately understood and winked back at her, then quickly rushed over to grab Cheng Xun's backpack. "Let me borrow it, handsome!"

\n\n

"Ah!" Cheng Xun didn't notice someone coming from behind and was startled when they suddenly pounced on him, letting his bag be taken without much resistance.

\n\n

Chi Xing protested, "The seniors are bullying the younger ones!"

\n\n

"You guys are carrying too much," Chen Ru stood in front of her husband and smiled at Chi Xing, "We're helping you share the load."

\n\n

The two kids didn't dare to confront their elders, and struggled a bit just for show. They never really intended to take their things back.

\n\n

They took separate paths up the mountain, with the one chosen by their group looking more difficult to traverse. It wasn't easy to film on the mountain, as they needed photographers both in front and behind. The photographers had it much harder than they did.

\n\n

Chi Xing occasionally handed water to the shooting teachers and always said, "Teachers, you're working hard!"

\n\n

The two kids had a jam-packed schedule, with singing, dancing, and physical training, as well as filming and variety shows. Their workload was quite intense, but being young, they were the most energetic. However, the mountain road was too difficult to traverse, and after just two hours, they were already struggling.

\n\n

Looking up, they saw that Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye had disappeared without a trace.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's nickname "Wild Monkey" was not given for nothing. He grew up rolling around on the rafters since he was a child, and his grandmother's house was in the mountains. When it rained, he would run up the mountain to collect a bag of mushrooms.

\n\n

The mountain they were climbing now was not very high, so it was like playing for him. The photographers were extremely professional, but they still couldn't keep up with him.

\n\n

If Yuan Ye didn't want to be photographed, he could easily leave them behind in just a few steps, making it impossible to catch a glimpse of him.

\n\n

The shooting teacher said to Fang Shaoyi, "He's running too fast."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked up and smiled gently. He wasn't running as fast as Yuan Ye, just following behind at a steady pace. When the shooting teacher couldn't keep up with Yuan Ye, he could only take pictures of Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi laughed and said, "Let him play, come on, take pictures of me instead."

\n\n

The shooting teacher could neither laugh nor cry, "That won't work."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi joked, "It has to work. Can you catch up to him?"

\n\n

When Yuan Ye turned around to look for them, he had already hidden a few small wooden boxes sponsored by the sponsors in his bag. Inside were gold coin props. He squatted on an old tree and waved to them, "Here it is."

\n\n

He tossed a bunch of bananas at Fang Shaoyi, who caught them and shared them with everyone. He then looked up and said, "Don't wander too far, we won't be able to find you without a signal here."

\n\n

"It's okay, I found many boxes with a lot of money," Yuan Ye replied with a genuine smile. Despite being in his thirties, it was the first time in a while that he had laughed so freely, like a young child. He shook the bag on his back and asked, "Brother Yi, do you want to drink some coconut juice? I'll pick one for you?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled, "No need, you can enjoy it yourself."

\n\n

Yuan Ye occasionally waited for the two younger ones behind him and threw them a bunch of bananas. Chi Xing was struggling with the difficult mountain path and his face was turning red. He had a towel draped around his neck to wipe off the sweat. Cheng Xun handed him a bottle of water to drink.

\n\n

Chi Xing took a sip and handed it back to Cheng Xun, who also took a sip.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, knowing that these two were walking the line of ambiguity. When this segment airs, their fans will probably go crazy again. They are very good at burying these ambiguous points and controlling their intimacy just right. If they become too close, they will really become a couple, and that would not be as exciting for the fans to watch.

\n\n

Chi Xing asked Yuan Ye, "Brother Yuan, how come you have such good stamina? I don't even see you breathing heavily."

\n\n

When Yuan Ye was with them, he didn't seem like he did when he was with Fang Shaoyi. After all, he was older now and looked like a cool and handsome uncle. He lifted his chin and pointed to a scar on his neck, then smiled and said to them, "When I was a kid, I was the king of our mountain. This scar is from when I was bitten by a wild dog in the mountains. It almost killed me."

\n\n

Chi Xing asked, "Your family lives on the mountain?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Yeah, my grandmother lives on the side of the mountain. I grew up there."

\n\n

Cheng Xun had been silent the whole time, but now he whispered, "I know. I read about it in your book. There are a lot of stories about that mountain in there."

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and then asked with a faint smile, "Have you read 'The Axis'? How old are you?"

\n\n

Cheng Xun nodded, "I've read it and I really liked it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and didn't say much. He reached into his backpack and threw two fruits at them before darting off a few steps and running away.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had a backpack on his back and was running around the mountains. He almost ran into another group and saw a camera in the distance. He quickly turned around and disappeared.

\n\n

The small wooden box of props he had was packed in his backpack and it was a bit heavy. It had been a long time since Yuan Ye had wandered around the mountains like this, maybe a few years.

\n\n

Since his grandmother passed away, he hadn't returned to that mountain or anywhere else for that matter. The things he used to love were now a bit blurry in his memory.

\n\n

In the past, Yuan Ye wandered aimlessly around the world, feeling like the whole world belonged to him. Later on, his world became smaller and smaller. Looking back now, he couldn't even remember what he used to like.

\n\n

That day, it was inevitable that the team led by Yuan Ye would win. The mountain was the territory of wild monkeys, who could possibly beat them?

\n\n

When the two teams gathered together, the opposing team started counting first. While they were counting, Yuan Ye and Cheng Xun took out boxes from their backpacks. In the end, the opposing team counted 105, and everyone was exhausted. The two girls didn't care and found a piece of wood to sit on.

\n\n

Yuan Ye heard them say 105 and took out two more boxes from his bag, saying, "That's it."

\n\n

Cheng Xun also said, "I'm out too, it seems like we don't have enough, brother."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and said, "Not necessarily."

\n\n

In the end, they only counted 96 on their side, nine less than the other team. So they had to give up the house and each group had to sleep in a tent.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi patted Yuan Ye's head and asked him, "You wandered around the mountain all day, what were you looking for?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and dodged his hand, laughing a little embarrassedly, "I just kept wandering around and forgot to look for the things."

\n\n

"No, it's our fault for slowing you down," Chi Xing quickly said, "We're not very good, so it's already good that we can keep up."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, "It's okay."

\n\n

The program was arranged this way, even though there were actually more places to stay on the mountain. In order to capture a good shot, they had to film like this.

\n\n

After washing up, everyone went back to their own tents. When Yuan Ye finished showering and arrived at his tent, Fang Shaoyi had already set everything up. The production team had prepared enough bedding, including two sleeping bags.

\n\n

The shooting teacher was still working, so Yuan Ye sat cross-legged inside the tent and let out a sigh, "It's quite soft."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood outside and looked down at him, saying, "Come out and look at the stars. You won't be able to see them once you go back."

\n\n

Yuan Ye crawled out of the tent, spread a sheet on the ground, and lay down, gazing at the stars twinkling in the sky. The night sky was indeed beautiful, and scenes like this were rare.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sighed, "I didn't bring my camera." Fang Shaoyi remained silent and sat down next to him. The two of them silently gazed at the sky, neither of them speaking for a long time.

\n\n

After a while, Yuan Ye cleared his throat and spoke up, "Last time I came, it was cloudy and I couldn't see the stars. I brought my camera but didn't get to use it. This time it's cloudless, but I didn't bring my camera."

\n\n

He chuckled at his own misfortune and shook his head. "Always one step behind."

\n\n

He propped his arm under his head and turned to look at Fang Shaoyi. This man always held himself with such poise, even when relaxing like this. He was always so handsome and dazzling, making it seem like there was always a distance between him and those around him.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi felt his gaze, he lowered his head and met his eyes. Yuan Ye smirked, a shallow smile that held no particular meaning, before turning away.

\n\n

After the shooting session ended, Yuan Ye walked away to smoke a cigarette. When he returned, Fang Shaoyi was waiting for him by the tent. Nearby, not far from their tent, were the tents of Chi Xing and Cheng Xun. Fang Shaoyi was chatting with them casually.

\n\n

Without much hesitation, Yuan Ye walked over and climbed into the tent.

\n\n

With limited conditions, there was no need to be pretentious. They were old acquaintances, so what harm was there in sleeping together?

\n\n

Chi Xing and Cheng Xun were perceptive and noticed when Yuan Ye returned and they both left to wander around. Once they were gone, only the two of them were left in the vast wilderness.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's head emerged from the tent, tilting his neck and calling out, "Come on, Brother Yi, let's sleep."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and slowly shook his head.

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's wrong? Did I prick you with thorns on my body?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "You don't have thorns on your body, but you have them on your mouth."

\n\n

"Oh, did I prick you there?" Yuan Ye's gaze unconsciously fell on Fang Shaoyi's lips, which were always so sensual.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi crouched down and said, "You go to sleep, I can't sleep with you."

\n\n

He finished speaking and moved closer, even kneeling down with one knee on the ground. It was uncomfortable for someone of his height to speak in this position.

\n\n

He stared into the Yuan Ye's eyes, their faces only inches apart, and his breath could be felt on Yuan Ye's face as he spoke.

\n\n

He let out a cold laugh and spoke in a low volume that only the two of them could hear inside the tent, "If you lie next to me...I just want to f*** you."

\n","published_time":"2023-05-07T23:18:11.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:55.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":202,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":6,"chapter_title":"Chapter 6","content":"

F*** me?

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't even flinch as he locked eyes with Fang Shaoyi. He opened his mouth and said, "Then fuck me."

\n\n

In their current situation, saying something like this was basically a challenge to each other. Yuan Ye leaned back and fell onto the neatly made bed with a loud thud.

\n\n

He lay there, looking at Fang Shaoyi with a faint smile on his lips. He reached out and pulled down the zipper of his jacket, revealing a toned abdomen under his T-shirt. He tugged at his shirt and said, "Come on, fuck me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't move, and neither did Yuan Ye. He lay there, his thumb hooking downwards to reveal his flat stomach. His eyes were full of provocation as he looked at Fang Shaoyi and asked, "Are you coming or not?"

\n\n

Without a word, Fang Shaoyi listened as Yuan Ye's voice grew rough, intentionally gasping a few times, his fingers ready to hook downwards, humming a few low and seductive sounds in his throat.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned his head to the side, furrowing his brow and cursing under his breath. He grabbed Yuan Ye's hand and then lifted the other side of the blanket, rolling Yuan Ye over with force and calmly saying, "Stop being silly and go to sleep."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's face was turned towards the tent's walls, laughing out loud. Only half of his head was visible outside the blanket, but you could see his body shaking with laughter. Fang Shaoyi zipped up the tent from the inside and lay down on the other side.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's provocative actions had caused Yuan Ye to break out in a sweat. He turned his back to Fang Shaoyi, and the smile on his face slowly faded away. With his eyes wide open, he looked at the tent fabric in front of him.

\n\n

Every cell in his body was extremely active, feeling the slightest movement caused by the person next to him in the bedding. Whenever Fang Shaoyi made a bigger movement, Yuan Ye would get goosebumps.

\n\n

After a while, he couldn't stand being trapped in the blanket anymore, so he pulled it open and half of it was thrown onto Fang Shaoyi with a flick of his hand.

\n\n

They slept like that for a night.

\n\n

There was nothing uncomfortable about sleeping together, no other feelings, it was even quite comfortable. They had slept together for over ten years, lying next to each other was as natural as using a pillow and covering oneself with a blanket. Separating for over a year was quite long, but compared to the time they had spent together, it was not worth mentioning.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye opened his eyes in the morning, he was startled to see Fang Shaoyi and took a moment to fully wake up. Fang Shaoyi was still asleep, facing towards him, sleeping peacefully.

\n\n

It was still dark outside, and it was cold on the mountain at this time. Yuan Ye actually needed to pee, but he didn't want to move. He lay there, looking at the small square of gray sky through the transparent top of the tent.

\n\n

He had once written a sentence in a book, and now he suddenly remembered it for some reason.

\n\n

Everyone says the sky is gray, but to me, it's always blue. Later, I said it was gray, and they said it was black.

\n\n

They were going to be filming in this place for three days, and after climbing the mountain the day before, today was all about playing in the water. The scenery on the island was breathtaking, and just admiring it was enough. It took them half a day to climb up the mountain, but going down was much faster.

\n\n

As they descended from the mountain, their backpacks were filled with fruit, which they ate after casually wiping them off their clothes.

\n\n

Playing in the water is not tiring, it's just about doing some silly little games at the beach, one per couple is enough. Yuan Ye found a place to hang his hammock and while others were playing games as part of the show's recording, he lay there reading. The tree shadows covered him almost completely, and he felt so relaxed that he started to feel a bit drowsy.

\n\n

The young director said, "Yuan-laoshi, you look so comfortable."

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at him and said, "Do you want to try?"

\n\n

The young director quickly waved his hand and said, "No need, no need, you can keep lying down."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and closed his eyes again. "I was just asking, don't take it seriously. Even if you want to lie down, I can't let you. This is my royal bed, can anyone just lie on it?"

\n\n

"You're so funny, Yuan-laoshi," the young director said, laughing for a long time.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said to her, "When you're editing, use colorful fonts to label 'Royal Concubine Yuan' next to my face, actually forget about it, "Wild Concubine" it sounds more wild and suits me better."

\n\n

The young director burst into laughter and asked him, "Are you reading Feng-laoshi's book? I bought it but haven't started reading it yet."

\n\n

Yuan Ye then held up the book in front of the camera and deliberately said, "Ah, then let's give it a close-up. Everyone, take a look at this new book by Feng Leizi. The cover is a photo of himself. Don't bother reading it."

\n\n

He casually flipped through the book in front of the camera and muttered, "I said I didn't want it. I don't have time to read it. I can guess what those two strokes of Feng Leizi's writing mean. He sent it to me relentlessly. When I looked at it, oh, it was spot on. It's still his sour clichés. He said it's the best-selling book online?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked the young director, "Is it really the best-selling book?"

\n\n

The young director smiled and shook his head, "I really don't know about that."

\n\n

"Did it surpass me?" Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and said to the camera, "Do any of my fans watch this show? Don't buy it, my fans. Just listen to what Uncle Ye said, this book is not worth reading."

\n\n

After he finished speaking, he lay there laughing for a long time and continued to speak ill of Feng Leizi. The shooting teacher captured it all on film.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was actually taking the opportunity to promote his friend through the show. He had known Feng Leizi for many years, ever since they were in school together. They were very close and had a strong bond. They knew that their relationship was good, so Yuan Ye dared to joke around with him.

\n\n

The groups with girls were taking a break, and the two young boys, Chi Xing and Cheng Xun, were taking turns resting. Yuan Ye didn't even move from his spot.

\n\n

Later, the young director asked him, "Yuan-laoshi, aren't you going to show off a little?"

\n\n

"Show off?" Yuan Ye replied, "No need. They're just racing in the water, and I'm not going to compete with Fang-laoshi. He runs 10,000 meters like it's nothing. Don't forget, I'm a royal concubine."

\n\n

After a while, the game on the other side changed again. The other team switched players, and Chi Xing asked Fang Shaoyi, "Brother, aren't you tired? Let Brother Ye take your place for a while."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned his head and looked over at Yuan Ye, shaking his head with a smile. "No need. He was running around in the mountains and climbing trees yesterday, so he's already tired. Let him rest."

\n\n

They had been filming for two days now, and Yuan Ye had found their rhythm. They weren't as quiet as they were at the beginning. Even when he wasn't playing the games, he knew how to keep the conversation going, giving the camera crew something to film.

\n\n

Since they were getting paid to film the show, they might as well do it well. If there's nothing to film or edit, then the production team's money would be wasted. It was their last day of filming in this location, and tomorrow they would all go their separate ways.

\n\n

They had to do one more interview that night, and each director had a set of questions to ask. These interviews would be edited into the program. This was the first episode, and they were supposed to do the interviews before filming, so they had to reschedule.

\n\n

Yuan Ye took the lead and finished his interview before Fang Shaoyi. They found a room, set up a background, and started the interview.

\n\n

The young director asked Yuan Ye, "You've always been low-key and rarely appear in the public eye. You've been quite mysterious since getting married."

\n\n

With a raised eyebrow, Yuan Ye looked at her and said, "Mysterious? Not really. I've written book after book and attended all the promotions and events. It shouldn't be that mysterious."

\n\n

The young director replied, "You know I'm talking about matters related to Fang-laoshi, and the entertainment industry."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Yes, I'm not part of the entertainment industry. I'm just an ordinary person."

\n\n

The director asked him, "You and Fang-laoshi got married very early on. What were you thinking at the time? How did you make that decision?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and rubbed his forehead, "I didn't really have any thoughts. I just did whatever I wanted to do at the time. If I wanted to get married, I got married. I didn't think about anything else."

\n\n

The interview was quite simple, with only a few small questions, and Yuan Ye cooperated well with his answers. As they chatted, he couldn't help but think to himself, "I must be getting old if I can handle this kind of interview. In the past, who could have questioned me so thoroughly? I would never have cooperated."

\n\n

Yuan Ye hated it when unrelated people asked him endless questions, thinking to himself, "What do you care about what I think? What's it to you? Who do you think you are?"

\n\n

Although he still didn't particularly enjoy it, he didn't resist it as much as he used to. The arrogance that used to make him feel like he ruled the world had faded a bit with age.

\n\n

After asking all the necessary questions, the young director added a spontaneous one with a playful wink. "We all know that you and Fang-laoshi have been in love for many years and have always had a great relationship. Can I ask you a secret question? Who pursued who first?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't refuse this unexpected question. When reminiscing about the past, a person's eyes would soften, even if it was Yuan Ye. He hooked the corner of his lips and said frankly, "I pursued him first. Fang-laoshi has always been an outstanding person, so it's not surprising that anyone would be attracted to him, right?"

\n\n

The young director nodded in agreement, "Yes, Fang-laoshi became famous at a young age."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was ready to wrap up, but when she finished this sentence, there was a moment of silence before Yuan Ye lowered his head and looked into the camera, saying, "Whether he is dazzling or not has nothing to do with his fame. Whether he becomes famous or not, he is still Fang Shaoyi. Even if he wins an Oscar, he is still Fang Shaoyi. He has always been excellent, regardless of whether he is a star or what his family background is."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was known for his fiery temper and blunt speech, but the production team was prepared this time. He had been easy to talk to throughout the recording, but this was the first time she showed a hint of personal emotion.

\n\n

The young director's words were intentionally provocative, implying that Fang Shaoyi was a second-generation star. Everyone knew that Fang Shaoyi became famous at a young age because of his father.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't appreciate their tactics, but even though he knew it was intentional, he couldn't hold back from speaking his mind.

\n\n

After he finished his sentence, he asked, "Is that all? Is there nothing else you want to ask?"

\n\n

The young director nodded and said, "That's it, we don't need anything else from you, Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

With a simple "Mm" in response, Yuan Ye stood up, pushed open the door, and left.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-15T02:19:48.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:30:58.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":220,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":7,"chapter_title":"Chapter 7","content":"

Yuan Ye was lying on a sofa with his eyes closed, basking in the sun. His phone rang beside him, and he reached over to answer it. Without even opening his eyes, he hummed a response into the phone.

\n\n

The person on the other end said, "Come out and have a drink."

\n\n

Yuan Ye still didn't open his eyes and replied, "No."

\n\n

The person on the other end asked again, "How about tea then?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye still had his eyes closed and said, "No."

\n\n

"What's wrong with you?" The person on the phone, Old Tu, asked him. "Why are you lazing around like a house cat on such a sunny day?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye turned from his side to his back and spoke slowly, dragging out his words. "I'm lazy. I just got back yesterday and I'm tired."

\n\n

The other person laughed and asked him, "I almost forgot, did you finish recording? What's the situation? Did anything happen?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't be bothered with him and furrowed his brow, saying, "Why are you so annoying?"

\n\n

Old Tu laughed heartily and said to him, "Stop being so indecisive, come out and let's drink and eat meat."

\n\n

"Send the location over." Yuan Ye hung up the phone after speaking.

\n\n

He had flown back on a plane yesterday and had planned to just lie at home for a day. Yuan Ye was actually a lazy person, but not in the sense that he didn't like to move. He would go through a lot of trouble and exhaustion for things he liked, even climbing Mount Everest.

\n\n

However, if it was something he didn't like, or going to a place he didn't like, he would be lazy all over. He felt exhausted after recording that episode for only four days, and his body needed to relax, and his brain needed rest.

\n\n

The sofa faced his balcony, and Yuan Ye had been basking in the sun like a cat, dozing off on it for quite some time. It was comfortable, but he was starting to feel a little hungry.

\n\n

Yuan Ye got up and changed into a set of clothes before grabbing his phone and heading out. He purposely didn't drive, as he knew he would be drinking with Old Tu during their meal, and this person was a big drinker.

\n\n

The place they went to was a meat shop that served grilled meat. When Yuan Ye arrived, Old Tu was sitting on a small stool, using tongs to turn the charcoal. The shop didn't have private rooms, and it was located in a large factory building with several walls separating different areas. It was probably quite noisy when it got crowded at night.

\n\n

"You're here?" Old Tu looked up at him, revealing a square face with a beard on his chin.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat with his back facing the rest of the restaurant, but no one was around on this lazy afternoon. The table was only a meter square and quite short, and a chubby person would feel a bit cramped sitting on the small stool. The interior of the room was decorated with the now common brick walls and mud floors, creating a smoky and fiery atmosphere for those who enjoyed meat.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lit a cigarette and casually tossed the box and lighter onto the ground. "Another shop you've opened?" he asked.

\n\n

Old Tu finished adjusting the charcoal and secured the iron mesh. He asked, "So, what do you think of this little shop?"

\n\n

"It's just okay," replied Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Old Tu chuckled and lit a cigarette himself, saying, "I opened it for my girl to play around with. Let her do as she pleases."

\n\n

Yuan Ye leaned over and grabbed an ashtray from a small table behind him, placing it to the side. He said to Old Tu, "This place has a real sense of style."

\n\n

Yuan Ye and Old Tu had known each other for many years. Old Tu used to be the owner of a tea house, and Yuan Ye would often go there to drink tea. After chatting a few times, they became familiar with each other.

\n\n

Yuan Ye still couldn't remember Old Tu's real name, but he had always called him Old Tu. Old Tu was about ten years older than Yuan Ye, and he didn't know what he used to do. Now, he just did whatever he found interesting, whether it was running a tea house, restaurant, or bar. Some made money, some lost money, but it seemed like Old Tu didn't really care.

\n\n

Before drinking with Old Tu, Yuan Ye ate some meat to fill his stomach.

\n\n

They both usually drank white liquor instead of beer. Yuan Ye could handle his alcohol, but he wasn't the type to drink excessively. When he did drink too much, he would still get drunk.

\n\n

He was willing to drink with Old Tu, who had a carefree attitude that Yuan Ye admired. Old Tu's personality was what brought them together as friends. He had a sense of freedom and didn't care about societal norms. "I do what I like, not what I should do," he would say.

\n\n

Old Tu was using tongs to flip meat on the iron grill, cutting thick slices into smaller pieces that sizzled and dripped with oil. Yuan Ye took a piece and ate it, then commented, "This isn't healthy."

\n\n

Old Tu chuckled and replied, "If you only focus on being healthy, you won't live long." The owner of this shop is not Old Tu, but a young girl in her twenties. When she came back in from outside and saw Yuan Ye, she took off her coat and bounced over to sit next to Old Tu, greeting Yuan Ye along the way.

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew her well and exchanged a few words with her.

\n\n

She asked if she should help with the grilling, but Lao Tu patted her on the back and said, "No need, I'll handle it. You can go play."

\n\n

She laughed and said, "Okay then, I'm off. Don't say I didn't help out."

\n\n

Lao Tu continued to smile and replied, "I won't say anything. Go ahead."

\n\n

She stood up and said to Yuan Ye, "I'm heading over there, Brother Ye, call me if you need me for anything?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and waved his hand at her.

\n\n

After she left, Yuan Ye asked, "Why aren't you married yet?"

\n\n

Old Tu didn't answer, he just shook his head. This man always had a smile on his face that was three parts out of place, and no one could figure out what he was really thinking. That girl had been with Old Tu for five or six years, following him since she was in her early twenties.

\n\n

Old Tu didn't have a family or children, and he never got married, so it had always been like this. The young girl went from twenty to twenty-six, graduating from university several years ago, and she always seemed carefree and happy, giggling all day long as if she didn't have a care in the world.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't usually ask about other people's business, and he wasn't interested in other people's affairs. He was just trying to sort out his own affairs. He didn't ask any more questions and chatted with Old Tu while drinking.

\n\n

Old Tu filled Yuan Ye's cup with wine and asked him, "When you went back this time, did you see that person?"

\n\n

With a cigarette in his mouth and one eye half-closed, Yuan Ye said to Old Tu, "I didn't ask you, so don't ask me."

\n\n

"You can ask me if you want, I'm not afraid to answer," Old Tu replied with a smile.

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and kept his mouth shut tight. He didn't like others prying into his personal life, especially when it came to matters of the heart. To him, emotions were a particularly private matter, and he couldn't understand why anyone would want to share them with others.

\n\n

Ultimately, he believed that such words were only meant for two people who were extremely close, and if two people had feelings for each other, then they must be the closest of all.

\n\n

Yuan Ye drank his alcohol one glass at a time, but he couldn't handle too much. He wasn't a heavy drinker, and by the end of the night, he was feeling a bit dizzy.

\n\n

The shop was getting more and more crowded, and the noise was getting louder, making Yuan Ye's head feel a bit chaotic. When he drank too much, he couldn't control his thoughts, and those forgotten and unforgotten old fragments would suddenly rush into his mind, making him feel like his brain capacity was not enough.

\n\n

Just now, when he was asked, he didn't say anything, but now that no one is asking, he can't keep his mouth shut.

\n\n

Yuan Ye rested his arms on his knees, with his hands hanging there casually and his head lowered. After a while, he suddenly spoke up, "There were two kids in that program."

\n\n

Old Tu lifted his eyelids and looked at him, "Were you asked to take care of the kids?"

\n\n

"Like hell." The yellow light bulb above cast a distant and melancholic glow in Yuan Ye's eyes. He leaned back and rubbed his head, muttering under his breath, "...They're so young."

\n\n

"In their early twenties, the prime of their lives," Yuan Ye added.

\n\n

Old Tu remained silent, sitting across from them, eating and drinking.

\n\n

"At this age, we were so damn brave," Yuan Ye chuckled. "I was fearless, just like everyone else."

\n\n

"You know how to fear now?" Old Tu raised an eyebrow and asked.

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded, then shook his head. "Fear... how can I not?"

\n\n

After drinking with Old Tu, it was already dark outside when Yuan Ye took a taxi home. He didn't even take a shower and just collapsed onto his bed. Drinking was a great way to ease his discomfort, which was why he went out today. Sometimes, alcohol could be annoying, but other times it was truly a good thing.

\n\n

There were some emotions that couldn't be expressed normally, and some things that he wouldn't allow himself to think about without the help of alcohol.

\n\n

Yuan Ye still hadn't said everything he wanted to say while he was drinking.

\n\n

But he didn't want to say anymore. Some things just couldn't be said to others. He slept deeply and soundly, lost in a world of dreams. In the middle of the night, he woke up with a full bladder and went outside to relieve himself.

\n\n

After sleeping for half the night, he was sober enough to take a shower. The hot water poured down from above, washing over his eyes and ears, then flowing down his collarbone and shoulders.

\n\n

In the past, he used to enjoy teasing Fang Shaoyi while he showered, because the way the water flowed over his tight muscles was so damn sexy. Fang Shaoyi had an amazing physique, and now, whenever someone mentioned male stars with great bodies on Weibo, people would post his pictures. Fans would always say they wanted to lick their screens when they saw those photos.

\n\n

Once, he had bitten Fang Shaoyi's collarbone and looked up at him with a lascivious grin, saying, "They lick their screens, but I'll lick you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pinched his chin and told him to stop being so restless.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had never felt shy before, especially when it came to two men doing what they wanted to do. They had no shame and just went for it. Yuan Ye never held back and just wanted to have fun with his partner.

\n\n

Yuan Ye leaned against the wall of the shower room and looked at his reflection in the glass. He stared at his face for a while and then looked at his upper body. He wasn't as fit as Fang Shaoyi because he didn't need to maintain his physique for filming. Fang Shaoyi had to work out with a personal trainer to stay in shape for his roles. Yuan Ye sighed as he looked down at his body.

\n\n

He was getting hard and didn't know what to do about it.

\n\n

The alcohol had made his mind too fuzzy, and all he could think about while taking a shower were those things. This position, that position, this and that with Fang Shaoyi. Clothes on, clothes off...

\n\n

Yuan Ye closed his eyes, and suddenly two people doing it for the first time flashed through his mind. Fang Shaoyi had bitten Yuan Ye's nose and then kissed him gently. Yuan Ye urged him on, asking if he could go faster because he was about to explode.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi ignored his urging and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Then explode and let me see."

\n\n

Yuan Ye turned his head and cursed.

\n\n

Too many fragments flashed before his eyes, a memory bank of over a decade that he could easily grab from. Images flickered rapidly, finally settling on a sunless afternoon.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were bloodshot and terrifying as he asked, "Have you made up your mind?"

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye didn't nod, he blinked and agreed.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi forcefully closed his eyes and threw the ring around his neck towards him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye instinctively reached out to catch it, but only touched the end of the thin chain. The plain ring slipped through his fingers and fell to the ground with a soft, faint sound.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-22T01:04:46.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:21.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":221,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":8,"chapter_title":"Chapter 8","content":"

The first time Yuan Ye met Fang Shaoyi was during his third year of college.

\n\n

That year Guan Zhou had just started college, and even though he was only half a year younger than Yuan Ye, Yuan Ye had skipped a few grades and was starting college two years earlier. On the day of registration, Yuan Ye accompanied him to the school with his luggage, just the two of them.

\n\n

The senior who was supposed to greet and guide them was called away halfway, so he just gave them a rough direction. Yuan Ye and Guan Zhou walked around the lake but couldn't find the dormitory building.

\n\n

The hot weather made Yuan Ye sweat profusely and his frustration grew. Despite feeling annoyed, he still politely asked for directions from two people who were walking towards them. He asked, "Excuse me, classmates, could you tell me where the dormitory building is?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye felt that this call of "classmates" was very friendly and polite, even adding an "excuse me" to their conversation. However, the person in front of him completely ignored him, while the one next to him looked at him with a half-smile.

\n\n

Both of them were handsome, and Yuan Ye couldn't help but think that this school must produce a lot of celebrities, since even the students he randomly encountered were of this caliber.

\n\n

In reality, Yuan Ye was only seventeen at the time and looked even younger, like a high school student. Although he was considered a senior at his own school, to others he was at most a freshman, still carrying his luggage. He felt like he was being very polite, but in reality, it was like a freshman meeting two heavyweight seniors and instead of addressing them properly as "seniors," he just blurted out "hey, classmate."

\n\n

Across from him were these two "classmates," Fang Shaoyi and Jian Xu, both up-and-coming young actors who only took roles from top directors. Fang Shaoyi became famous at the age of sixteen for his role in director Wei Tong's "Wind and Sand." Jian Xu, on the other hand, started acting in TV dramas at the age of four and many of the top actors had played his parents.

\n\n

However, Yuan Ye didn't know either of them. It wasn't because they weren't famous or popular enough, but because Yuan Ye didn't pay attention to those things. He didn't watch much TV and spent most of his time playing games and writing. He had never paid any attention to them before.

\n\n

To him, these two were good-looking but annoying. One didn't speak and the other was smiling for god knows what reason, both were lousy.

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and looked at them. "You don't know?"

\n\n

Jian Xu pointed behind him and said with a smile, "Go straight ahead, turn left at the end," and added, "little classmate."

\n\n

"Thanks," Yuan Ye carried his luggage and walked away, replying, "little classmate."

\n\n

Ever since he was young, he was always smaller than the other students in his class. Teachers and classmates would often call him "Little Yuan Ye," which annoyed him greatly.

\n\n

As he walked a few steps, he could still hear the person who had just spoken saying to the other one who remained silent, "Haha, did you hear that? He called me little classmate."

\n\n

This was the first time Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi met. Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi for directions, but Fang Shaoyi ignored him.

\n\n

It was also because Guan Zhou was too timid and introverted. In fact, Guan Zhou was standing behind Yuan Ye at the time and recognized one of them. He didn't know Fang Shaoyi, and he hadn't seen the movie "Wind and Sand," but he recognized Jian Xu. However, he didn't dare to say anything and felt a bit shy and nervous about meeting a celebrity.

\n\n

Later, every time Yuan Ye thought about this, he felt it was quite miraculous. With so many people at Guan Zhou's school, how did he end up asking Fang Shaoyi for directions? Yuan Ye always said it was fate that brought them together and that they were meant to meet and become friends.

\n\n

His school was very close to Guan Zhou's school, so on weekends, Yuan Ye would often run over. At that time, Yuan Ye was still young and didn't pay much attention to the handsome guys and beautiful girls at Guan Zhou's school. He just wanted to go there to play.

\n\n

One day, Yuan Ye found out that the two people he had met before were actually celebrities who filmed movies. He even went out of his way to watch "Wind and Sand" and surprisingly found that he really liked it.

\n\n

The film won awards overseas, including Best Director and Best Screenplay. It was an impressive piece of work. Yuan Ye was studying Chinese and he loved the story. Fang Shaoyi played the lead character as a child, and there was a scene where he suddenly grinned at the camera, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth.

\n\n

That smile was so difficult to achieve. If his eyes were bright, it would be filled with boundless hope for the future and a bright imagination for life. All the carefree and exuberant years of the protagonist were captured in those eyes. But the smile couldn't be silly, it had to be clean and transparent.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi later said that Wei Tong made him shoot that scene over 200 times. He started smiling from the first day on set and kept smiling for over four months. Wei Tong didn't give him any instructions, just had him make all sorts of expressions while smiling at the camera.

\n\n

Every one or two days, they would shoot a few more takes, until the final day of filming when they shot it one more time. This three-second shot was chosen from over 200 takes, and for a 16-year-old actor, it was extremely difficult to repeatedly summon the right emotions and settle into the role.

\n\n

After watching the movie twice, Fang Shaoyi recognized him at first sight when they met again.

\n\n

As Yuan Ye was leaving Guan Zhou's dormitory to return to his own school, he spotted Fang Shaoyi from afar. He was dressed in sportswear and followed by a group of curious girls. Yuan Ye walked over confidently, his tongue clicking as he greeted Fang with a grin, "Hey, classmate!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him, unsure if he remembered him or not.

\n\n

Yuan Ye walked up to him and didn't hold back on the compliments. He was much shorter than Fang Shaoyi, so he had to tilt his head up to speak, "I saw your movie."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a bit aloof, probably used to this kind of approach. He raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "Do I need to say thank you?"

\n\n

"No need," Yuan Ye shook his head, still smiling, "It's my own business."

\n\n

They first properly met when Yuan Ye stuck himself onto the other like that. At the time, he didn't think too much about it, he just both loved that movie and that love extended to the other.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was actually a person with a pretty bad temper, and didn't have much patience for people who approached him first, but Fang Shaoyi was the first exception. Yuan Ye had a sweet mouth, and every time he saw him at school, he would greet him with a smile and call him "Brother Yi", exuding a familiar and friendly vibe.

\n\n

After seeing each other more often, Fang Shaoyi no longer kept a cold face and could smile at Yuan Ye every time they met. At that time, Fang Shaoyi even thought that Yuan Ye was also a student at their school, so he asked him, "What major are you in?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "I'm studying Chinese, in Year Three."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi even raised his eyebrows and looked at him, "You're a junior?"

\n\n

"Ah," Yuan Ye nodded and smiled, "I know you're in Year Four."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at his face and chuckled, "How old are you?"

\n\n

For some reason, Yuan Ye didn't tell the truth, but he didn't lie either. He vaguely said, "If you're a senior and I'm a junior, then aren't I just one year younger than you."

\n\n

Later, to prove that he really was a junior, Yuan Ye even showed him his student ID.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "You're not from our school?"

\n\n

"No," Yuan Ye said, "I came to visit my friend."

\n\n

Back then, on weekends, Yuan Ye would come over to this side, but he didn't always run into Fang Shaoyi, who wasn't always at school. One time when he came back, Guan Zhou told him that Fang Shaoyi had returned to school.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had a personality like a stubborn little bull, and he happily ran to Fang Shaoyi's dormitory. When Fang Shaoyi opened the door and saw him, he smiled and shook his head, "You sure are quick with the news."

\n\n

"I have my sources," replied Yuan Ye, who had a small scar on his eyelid. Every time he smiled, there was a small dimple on that side, which was quite interesting.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi tilted his head and made way for him, "Want to come in and sit for a while?"

\n\n

"Ah, sure," nodded Yuan Ye.

\n\n

The double room where Fang Shaoyi stayed was much more luxurious than the one Guan Zhou and the others had. He was the only one in the room, so he offered his chair to Yuan Ye and even got him a bottle of water.

\n\n

Yuan Ye took out several small notebooks from his backpack and said to him, "Brother Yi, can you sign these for me?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What are they for?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "I'm selling signatures. I plan to develop it as a side business in the future."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was already used to his unconventional way of speaking, so he took his pen and signed all of them for him. Boys don't have as many ulterior motives when they hang out.

\n\n

'You're a star and I'm just a regular kid, so I don't want anything from you. I just like playing with you, what's wrong with that? At most I'll help some of the boys and girls in my class ask for your signature, I won't take any advantage of you.'

\n\n

At the time, in Yuan Ye's heart, he and Fang Shaoyi were friends, brothers even.

\n\n

At first, Fang Shaoyi's celebrity status was exciting, but over time it became no big deal. Fang Shaoyi also seemed to appreciate Yuan Ye's unconventional personality, treating him like a little brother and teasing him for fun.

\n\n

Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi even ate together in the school cafeteria, surrounded by many girls. Yuan Ye whispered to Fang Shaoyi, "Do you ever get tired of this every day, Brother Yi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi simply replied, "I'm used to it."

\n\n

"If it were me, I would be so annoyed," Yuan Ye took a bite of corn and added, "I'm already so annoyed now."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled, "Just eat your corn."

\n\n

Guan Zhou quickly lost favor with Yuan Ye. They had been friends for over ten years, but Yuan Ye no longer found him interesting. At that time, Yuan Ye only wanted to hang out with Fang Shaoyi, even spending Christmas with him that year.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye didn't really have a concept of Christmas, they just treated it like a regular weekend. Yuan Ye was sitting on Fang Shaoyi's bed in his dorm room, with his legs dangling and swinging around.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was sitting in a chair reading a book, and after a while, he looked up and asked, "Do you want to go see the film crew? I can take you there."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "Director Wei's film crew?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said with a smile, "Can all my movies be directed by Director Wei?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "Then no."

\n\n

Although he said he wouldn't go, he ended up going anyway. It was Yuan Ye's first time on a film set, and he was a little surprised by the grandeur of it all. It was a period drama with a war background, and there were hundreds of people in the cast. Fang Shaoyi played a young king, but his scenes hadn't been filmed yet.

\n\n

At the time, Yuan Ye was wearing a round, puffy ski hat and carrying a backpack. From behind, he looked like a little boy from the props department.

\n\n

As someone passed by carrying something, Fang Shaoyi reached out and pulled Yuan Ye towards him, saying, "Don't let them bump into you."

\n\n

As the man next to him shifted the load, the sudden movement caused Yuan Ye to almost fall over. Luckily, Fang Shaoyi was standing right beside him. Without hesitation, Yuan Ye threw himself onto Fang Shaoyi, burying his face in the collar of his shirt.

\n\n

In that moment, the scent of Fang Shaoyi overwhelmed Yuan Ye's senses. He had always loved the way Fang Shaoyi smelled, a faint fragrance that lingered in his dorm room. Fang Shaoyi lifted his arm and wrapped it around Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Yuan Ye stayed pressed against him for a good three to five seconds, until the man finished moving the items and they could finally stand up straight and look ahead.

\n\n

He tucked his hands back into his coat pockets, then pulled out a crumpled tissue and rubbed his nose. As he looked up at Fang Shaoyi, their eyes met and the reflection of the nearby lighting shone brightly in his eyes. Yuan Ye chuckled after rubbing his nose and said, "Brother Yi, you smell really good."

\n\n

Yuan Ye leaned forward again, his nose almost touching Fang Shaoyi's collar, and even brushing against his jaw.

\n\n

It was cold outside, and his nose felt chilly. The moment their skin touched was like a dragonfly skimming across the surface of water, or a butterfly giving a subtle kiss to a kitten.

\n","published_time":"2023-05-29T02:15:47.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:22.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":222,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":9,"chapter_title":"Chapter 9","content":"

The day before the second phase of filming, Yuan Ye arrived in the city where Fang Shaoyi was shooting. Their next location was in Inner Mongolia, on the grasslands.

\n\n

After getting off the plane, Yuan Ye dragged his suitcase straight to the film crew, located in a village over 100 kilometers away from the city. Along the way, the taxi driver kept telling him about the celebrities who came to film this time.

\n\n

It was rare for such a small place to have so many people come at once. The driver asked Yuan Ye what he was here for, and after thinking for a moment, Yuan Ye said, "Just here to do odd jobs."

\n\n

The driver looked at Yuan Ye through the rearview mirror and shook his head, "You don't look like it. You're good-looking, like someone here to film."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, "No, I'm not. I hate cameras."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had to rush the progress of the filming ahead of time because he had to go out and record a program. Sometimes he had to film day and night, and the actors who acted with him had to keep up with him. Everyone was working hard.

\n\n

It was because he was Fang Shaoyi, and his status was there. Regardless of whether others had any thoughts in their hearts, they would not show it on the surface.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye arrived, Fang Shaoyi was sitting next to the director, watching the playback on the monitor. The director was explaining the scene to a young actor, and Fang Shaoyi sat quietly on the side, listening while drinking hot water.

\n\n

"You have to bring out the emotions. When it's time to cry, you have to cry. No one can face this kind of scene - your loved ones and friends dying one by one in front of you - you can't help but shed tears," the director said.

\n\n

The young actor was a newcomer and was selected by Director Xin for his first film. He couldn't fully grasp the character he was playing.

\n\n

The director told him, "Although he is a person who is not good at expressing emotions and has a personality that is too dull, it does not mean that he is cold-blooded and indifferent. He cannot face everything with the same expression."

\n\n

The young actor nodded as if he understood. He looked a bit embarrassed and smiled awkwardly, "Director, I'm afraid I can't cry."

\n\n

The director's expression was serious, and he frowned as he said, "You must cry. If you can't cry in this kind of scene, you might as well not act. This is not a small love story where you can cry easily. This is a matter of life and death. If your whole family died in front of you, would you say that you can't cry? Then you are just being yourself, not the character in the film."

\n\n

Yuan Ye had actually been there for a while, just behind them, but he hadn't walked over or said anything. He sat on his own suitcase, legs on the ground, listening to the director talk about the scene.

\n\n

He really wanted to hear Fang Shaoyi speak, but Fang Shaoyi didn't say a word, holding a hot water cup. Yuan Ye used to love listening to Fang Shaoyi talk about these things and loved watching him film.

\n\n

Some people are just born to do this job. As long as he's in the scene, his whole person is shining with charm. Fang Shaoyi is that kind of person.

\n\n

The young actor left, and the director watched the monitor playback again, asking Fang Shaoyi, "What do you think?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't speak, just shook his head gently.

\n\n

The director sighed and helplessly laughed, saying, "Take it slow, he looks the part but just can't act."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi also chuckled and added, "There's no actor that Director Xin can't train. There's no one under you here who can't act."

\n\n

The director shook his head and replied, "That's easy to say, but it takes too much time. Everyone has to work together to train them. It's easy to train a full cast of newcomers, but when there are one or two who can't act, who will keep them company to train them? Just now, Yao Hua was so frustrated he stormed off."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much, he just took a sip of water to moisten his throat and lowered his gaze, saying, "Everyone goes through this stage, we've all been there."

\n\n

Yuan Ye behind them chuckled silently. Fang Shaoyi was still Fang Shaoyi. People come from different backgrounds, have different attitudes, and handle things differently.

\n\n

Despite his status, Fang Shaoyi never acted superior or played the diva on set. He was a man of few words, not because he looked down on anyone, but because he simply didn't like to talk much. Whenever a young actor came to him with a question, he would patiently answer.

\n\n

This may seem simple, but it's rare in this industry. It's a cutthroat world where people are either lifted up or put down based on their worth and resources. Fang Shaoyi may seem distant because of his cold demeanor, but he doesn't put on airs or belittle anyone. He never acts like he's above everyone else.

\n\n

All of them were movie stars, but there was a difference in character between them.

\n\n

Later, it was still Ji Xiaotao who first saw Yuan Ye. He had just gone to get medicine for Fang Shaoyi and took a trip to the village to buy some things. He also bought a bowl of soup for Fang Shaoyi and brought one for the director, producer, and cinematography teacher as well.

\n\n

He was surprised to see Yuan Ye and called out, "Brother Ye?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi and the director turned their heads, and Yuan Ye smiled and raised his arm. He asked Ji Xiaotao, "Can you not shout so loudly every time you see me?"

\n\n

"I couldn't control myself," Ji Xiaotao first handed out the soup and biscuits he brought for the director and others, then whispered to Yuan Ye, "How did you get here, Brother Ye? You should have called me, and I would have picked you up!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "No need, I just took a taxi here. We're filming again tomorrow, so I came a day early to wait."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi just glanced at him and didn't get up to greet him. He continued to sit next to the director and talk. The director was sipping soup and saying something, and Fang Shaoyi nodded along before adding his own thoughts.

\n\n

It wasn't until they finished filming that Fang Shaoyi walked over. After not seeing each other for a week, he didn't seem too excited to see Yuan Ye, and his face remained expressionless. Ji Xiaotao handed him a thermos, which was still steaming. The director and crew had regular lunch boxes, but Fang Shaoyi brought his own container for his meal.

\n\n

The two of them didn't speak to each other. Ji Xiaotao felt a bit awkward and asked Yuan Ye, "Brother Ye, have you eaten? Do you want a biscuit? He has a bit of a cold, so drinking soup will help him sweat it out."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "I've already eaten, don't worry about me."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao then said, "Brother Ye, give me your things. I'll arrange a room for you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at Fang Shaoyi. He did seem to have a cold, with a slightly red nose. He asked Ji Xiaotao, "Are you guys staying here for the night?"

\n\n

"Yeah, we've been staying in the village. It's too far from the city, so we didn't bother."

\n\n

Yuan Ye handed his luggage to Ji Xiaotao, who took it. Yuan Ye had nothing else in his hands, so he stood to the side and watched Fang Shaoyi drink his soup.

\n\n

The scene was a bit comical. All three of them were standing there, but no one was really talking. Ji Xiaotao would occasionally say a few words, but the other two didn't even make eye contact.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't even know why he was there in the first place. He hadn't thought much about it before coming, but since he had to film the show tomorrow, he couldn't keep coming from two different places every time.

\n\n

Since he was already here, he might as well act the part. But now that he was standing next to Fang Shaoyi, he felt like he shouldn't have come at all.

\n\n

When there was a camera in front of them, pointed right at their faces, they could still say something. But without that layer of lens, they had nothing to say to each other.

\n\n

Halfway through the pot of soup, Fang Shaoyi couldn't drink anymore. He had already had two cups of hot water and his stomach was full. That afternoon, Fang Shaoyi had a performance to shoot. If there was no performance, he would just sleep in the car.

\n\n

Yuan Ye squatted next to the director, listening to their heated debate with the screenwriter. Fang Shaoyi had worked with this director before, and Yuan Ye had followed the crew then. They were both familiar with the director and screenwriter.

\n\n

The two of them held different opinions, discussing whether the ending for the male character should be one where he died or not. Yuan Ye squatted next to them, smoking and occasionally passing them a cigarette. It was quite interesting to listen to.

\n\n

"Little Yuan, what do you think?" The director suddenly called out to him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was taken aback and laughed, "What can I say? I haven't even read the script, I don't know the background."

\n\n

Director Xin looked at him, raising an eyebrow in dissatisfaction. "You were always the first to read the script for Shaoyi's plays. What are you afraid of? Tell me, I want to hear your thoughts."

\n\n

Yuan Ye paused his smoking motion and shook his head seriously. "Director Xin, I really haven't seen this one."

\n\n

Shaoyi's last collaboration with Director Xin was four years ago. At that time, they had to improvise and change the script on the spot every day, and Yuan Ye was often involved. He and the director often had the same ideas but would argue with the screenwriter. Yuan Ye was straightforward and said whatever was on his mind, not afraid to offend anyone.

\n\n

The screenwriter laughed on the side. "Hey, you two, don't mess around. You don't seem to be getting along. Behave yourselves and don't cause any trouble."

\n\n

In this circle, everyone is a savvy person. Those who can't see through things won't survive in this circle. Fang Shaoyi has no free time this year, he lives on the set and never goes home. They also don't see Yuan Ye come over to visit him.

\n\n

Director Xin and Screenwriter Liu have been working together for almost twenty years. Fang Shaoyi's father has a close relationship with them, so whether it's for Fang Han's sake or Fang Shaoyi's own, these veteran screenwriters and directors look at Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye like they would a younger relative. They would speak to them like this, but would never do so if it were another young couple.

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Okay, I'm listening, Liu-laoshi!"

\n\n

The director smiled and said to him, "Liu-laoshi is doing this for your own good, don't resent it."

\n\n

"No way, no way," Yuan Ye quickly shook his head. "How would I ever?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao put Yuan Ye's things in the room next to theirs, another room in the same courtyard, but it only had space for things, no bed. Normally, he and Fang Shaoyi each had a single bed, but that night he gave his bed to Yuan Ye and went to squeeze into someone else's room.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at the two rooms and didn't say much. He couldn't possibly go out and sleep with someone else, that would make people think all sorts of things. Who knows, they might even say that the assistant was trying to push him out of his position.

\n\n

There was no need to be so pretentious and insist on going back to the city to stay. Everyone was tired, so there was no need to fuss around at this hour.

\n\n

So Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Okay, thank you, Xiaotao."

\n\n

At night, Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye lay on their respective beds, not saying a word. Yuan Ye could hear Fang Shaoyi coughing with a muffled voice, coughing so much that his throat became hoarse.

\n\n

Yuan Ye reached for his phone and sent a WeChat message to Ji Xiaotao: "Did he take his medicine tonight?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao replied: "I gave it to him, but I don't know if he took it or not!"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao added: "Why don't you ask him!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied: "Okay."

\n\n

Yuan Ye put down his phone and tucked it under his pillow. He turned over and faced the wall, not looking towards Fang Shaoyi's direction. He cleared his throat and spoke up: "Brother Yi, did you forget to take your medicine?"

\n\n

"I took it," Fang Shaoyi replied after a few seconds of silence. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Did I disturb your rest?"

\n\n

In the darkness, Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and rested his arm on his head. "No, I just feel like you're uncomfortable," he said.

\n\n

After that, the room fell silent. No one spoke, and no one coughed. Yuan Ye couldn't hear Fang Shaoyi coughing anymore. He wanted to turn over, but it was too quiet, and he didn't want to make too much noise.

\n\n

A long time passed, or maybe it just felt like a long time but had only been a few minutes, when Yuan Ye heard Fang Shaoyi speak again. His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of mocking laughter.

\n\n

In the darkness, it grated against Yuan Ye's ears like sandpaper, wearing away at his heart.

\n\n

"Can you still feel how uncomfortable I am?"

\n\n

"Can you?"

\n","published_time":"2023-06-05T01:01:38.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:22.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":227,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":10,"chapter_title":"Chapter 10","content":"

It was already autumn in Inner Mongolia, and it was getting a bit chilly, but the grass on the prairie was still green. This time, Yuan Ye didn't forget to bring his camera.

\n\n

He has always loved the prairie, the boundless expanse of green that makes the soul feel free. He also loves the simple and honest life here, with flocks of sheep slowly passing by, carrying the unique smell of sheep.

\n\n

Facing the camera, Yuan Ye smiled gently, "I told Fang-laoshi before that when we get old, we'll come to the prairie to retire, eat meat, drink wine, and watch the sunset every day."

\n\n

Lin Tian walked past him, smiling and asking, "What did Fang-laoshi say?"

\n\n

As they stood on the open field, Yuan Ye glanced back at Fang Shaoyi, who was not far behind him, and chuckled, "Fang-laoshi said he can live with me here, but he can't drink and eat meat with me every day. He has to maintain his celebrity image and not let himself become a fat old man."

\n\n

Lin Tian chimed in, "I wouldn't be able to do it either. Aging is a natural process, but we still have to age gracefully!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and stuck his hands in his coat pockets, taking a deep breath and saying, "Yeah, even Fang-laoshi will go from handsome to old."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi walked over and said, "I remember you already said I was getting old last time?"

\n\n

"No, no, not at all," Yuan Ye patted his arm and laughed, "You're still handsome and young."

\n\n

Last night, a single sentence from Fang Shaoyi kept Yuan Ye awake for half the night. He couldn't respond to it, nor did he need to. The meaningless conversation between them was pointless at this point, and saying too much would be unnecessary.

\n\n

Today, with the camera following them from the front and back, the awkwardness and tension between them finally dissipated a bit, and they were able to speak more naturally in front of the lens.

\n\n

At noon, they had a Mongolian meal, and almost all of it was meat. Yuan Ye only remembered that the yogurt was delicious. Only Yuan Ye and Chen Ru's wealthy husband ate a lot at the table, and they kept eating while others talked.

\n\n

Later, Fang Shaoyi gave Yuan Ye his own bowl of yogurt, and Yuan Ye turned to him and asked in a low voice, "Are you uncomfortable? Why aren't you eating?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi whispered in Yuan Ye's ear, "It's too greasy, I don't have much of an appetite."

\n\n

Despite having a heavy cold, his breath was hot against Yuan Ye's ear. Such small gestures in a crowd were extremely intimate, and Yuan Ye's heart was warmed by Fang Shaoyi's breath.

\n\n

Yuan Ye pushed the yogurt towards him and said, "Drink this, it's really good."

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi shook his head and didn't want to drink it. So Yuan Ye drank the bowl himself, wiped his mouth, and quietly left the table.

\n\n

It took him almost twenty minutes to come back. Before he returned, he thought everyone had finished eating, but they were still lingering over lunch after forty minutes. Yuan Ye had already come in and it was awkward to leave again. Lin Tian asked him, "Where did you go, Brother Ye?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat back in his spot and said, "Fang-laoshi can't eat so much meat. The director asked him to lose weight, so I made him a bowl of noodles."

\n\n

He didn't mention Fang Shaoyi's cold, knowing that it would become a topic of discussion during editing, and everyone around him now would also ask about it. Normally, he could brush off a simple question with a single sentence, but in front of the camera, he had to be constantly aware and attentive to everyone's needs.

\n\n

He didn't like it, and he knew Fang Shaoyi didn't either. Fang Shaoyi never talked about his injuries or illnesses to others. He didn't like being the center of attention and was used to being strong. He didn't like being seen as weak or vulnerable.

\n\n

The shooting teacher wanted to take a close-up shot of the bowl of noodles, but Yuan Ye laughed and covered it up, saying, "My cooking skills are terrible. The noodles I made are only edible to him."

\n\n

As Yuan Ye pushed the bowl towards him, Fang Shaoyi had been staring at his face since he walked in and was still doing so now. Yuan Ye whispered to him, "I only put a little bit of diced meat in it, eat up."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi lowered his gaze and also spoke in a low voice, "Thank you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was taken aback and after a while, he chuckled and shook his head, saying, "What are you saying to me?"

\n\n

After finishing their meal, they each went back to their tents to rest. Fang Shaoyi took a nap while Yuan Ye didn't return. He borrowed a horse from a local to go out.

\n\n

The young director was hesitant to let him ride alone. If anything happened, she couldn't bear the responsibility. But Yuan Ye assured her repeatedly that he wouldn't fall, and even wrote a disclaimer for her. With a wave of his hand, he set off on his own. The cameraman followed for a while, but soon fell behind.

\n\n

Yuan Ye told them, "I'll be back in half an hour. Don't bother filming this part, just pretend I'm taking a nap."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was an experienced horse rider, so there was no way he would fall. He had been riding horses since he was a child. Back then, there weren't as many cars on the streets, so his grandparents had to take a horse-drawn carriage to go to the county. His grandfather would drive the carriage from behind, while Yuan Ye would sit high up on the saddle, looking proud and majestic.

\n\n

Now, Yuan Ye patted the horse's neck and said, "Hey, big guy, want to run a lap with me?"

\n\n

The horse flicked its tail and blinked its beautiful big eyes without a care in the world.

\n\n

"Let's go one round and feel the wind," said Yuan Ye.

\n\n

With one hand casually holding the reins and the other hand holding a whip, he lightly tapped the horse's backside and urged it on. He rode a big red horse that gradually picked up speed until it was galloping freely across the grassland.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and looked up at the sky, then closed his eyes and felt the wind blowing on his face. This was his nature, his passion. The tangled and obscure thoughts in his mind were blown away by the wind, and when he and the horse rode back, their faces were both adorned with a smile.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood with the young director in front of the tent, chatting away. Yuan Ye slowed down his horse and walked towards them, holding the reins.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said to the director, "You see, I told you he'll be fine. Let him play whatever he wants, he knows what he's doing."

\n\n

The young director couldn't help but laugh and cry, "Fang-laoshi, even if you dare, we wouldn't dare, if anything happens won't the director kill me directly?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye continued to stroll over on his horse, and Fang Shaoyi looked at him with a distant softness in his eyes. He shook his head and said, "Why don't you think about it, if even I can be at ease, why can't others?"

\n\n

The young director didn't understand at first, but then she smiled and said, "Yes, you are the one who understands him the most."

\n\n

After releasing Yuan Ye earlier, she regretted more and more. She shouldn't have let him ride the horse alone. If nothing happened, it would be fine, but if something went wrong, she would be the first to be held accountable. Even a small scratch would be a big deal. Later, she couldn't sit still and went to find Fang Shaoyi, asking if they could call back Yuan-laoshi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was calm and told her to relax. In fact, thinking about it now, his partner didn't even blink. No matter how much they worried, they couldn't surpass the concern of a couple. Fang Shaoyi wasn't worried, so there was no need to worry.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat on the horse, looking down at them and asked, "Are you saying something bad about me again?"

\n\n

The young director stuck out her tongue and said, "I was too worried that you would run too far and not come back."

\n\n

With a smile, Yuan Ye patted the horse's neck and said, "The horses here are originally raised by the owners for riding, and they are especially obedient. The horses we used to raise were much harder to handle than this one. You can ask Fang-laoshi how long it took me to train them."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and also stroked the mane of Yuan Ye's horse. He lightly scraped it with the back of his hand and said, "The horses I raise are always particularly disobedient."

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at him and then pursed his lips before jumping off the horse. He led the horse back to its owner and the assistant director said to him, "We're ready to start filming, Yuan-laoshi! Please don't run off again!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye led the horse without looking back, but just lifted his hand and waved it gently. That afternoon's program was full of flaws, but despite feeling frustrated, Yuan Ye knew they still had to record it well. It was the same old story, they took the money so had to do their best to record the show.

\n\n

The program crew had them all wear sterile suits and disinfected them from head to toe before entering the cowshed. After touring around, the highlight finally arrived.

\n\n

Each group had to choose their own dairy cow, and whoever could milk the most within the specified time would get to stay in the air-conditioned luxury room. It was the only one available, with a shower and air conditioning.

\n\n

This was truly a blind spot in Yuan Ye's knowledge. He was no longer in the territory of wild monkeys. Although his grandfather also raised cows when he was young, they were not dairy cows, so he had never milked before.

\n\n

Two girls were busy complimenting the cows on their beauty and cuteness, while the other couple, consisting of Chi Xing and Cheng Xun, were studying which one to choose.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother Yi, you stand there. You are the film emperor, and you must maintain your film emperor's demeanor."

\n\n

He turned to the photographer and said, "Come on, film me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye bent over and studied which one looked bigger, which one had more milk, and which one had a better temperament to squeeze out more milk.

\n\n

"This one looks too thin, and it seems like it won't work..." Yuan Ye had been bending over for so long that his face turned red, and his nose was blocked. He spoke in a muffled voice, "I'm a thirty-something-year-old man, and I'm bending over here to study this, ah? Is this appropriate?"

\n\n

Beside him, Chi Xing was laughing uncontrollably and asked, "Brother Yuan Ye, have you made your choice?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at him and asked, "Why are you asking?"

\n\n

"I think you're the most serious one here. Do you have a backup plan? After you pick, we'll take the one you didn't choose," replied Chi Xing.

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and said, "You're quite easy to deal with."

\n\n

The purpose of this segment was to make fun of them, intentionally recording it this way. Even after selecting a good cow, they still had to prepare it properly, disinfect and massage the key areas. A technical guide was present to instruct them on how much pressure to use and which direction to massage.

\n\n

After they finished massaging, the technical guide was on-site to teach them how to squat and use their hands to squeeze the milk out. Yuan Ye squatted beside the cow, grasping one of its teats and squeezing according to the technician's instructions.

\n\n

"Today, I'm at your mercy. You can go ahead and make fun of me," he said.

\n\n

On the other side, Fang Shaoyi was squatting and not working properly. He was just laughing at Yuan Ye. While squeezing, Yuan Ye was muttering something, and the scene was so funny that even the young director couldn't stop laughing.

\n\n

"Go ahead and laugh. I'll do it myself and see when I can squeeze out a bucket. If you get cold tonight, we'll see if you're still laughing," Yuan Ye said, glancing at Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi continued to laugh. Yuan Ye had never seen him laugh like this before.

\n\n

"Laugh some more. I'll do it. As long as you're happy," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's movements were loose and tight, up and down, and the white milk stuck to his slender and beautiful fingers. Fang Shaoyi looked at his hand, and as he laughed, his eyes gradually deepened.

\n\n

With a sideways glance, Yuan Ye's lips curled into a mischievous smile. The camera couldn't capture the angle, but his thumb intentionally scraped against his fingertip, leaving two drops of white milk. When milking, he made a circular motion with his hand, adding a touch of playfulness to the otherwise ordinary action.

\n\n

As he locked eyes with Fang Shaoyi in the shadows, Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and threw a small hook with the corner of his eye.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said something to him, but without making a sound, only mouthing the words. Yuan Ye instantly understood.

\n\n

To others, he appeared to be milking as usual, but suddenly burst into laughter, his eyes almost disappearing.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood up and walked to the side to check on others' progress, not bothering to join in Yuan Ye's antics.

\n\n

Sitting on the ground, Yuan Ye laughed and continued to squeeze. The film emperor refused to work, but he couldn't laze about either. If he didn't work, they wouldn't have air conditioning at night, and Fang-laoshi was still suffering from a cold.

\n\n

He didn't want him to get any worse. Besides, if he felt uncomfortable and got in a bad mood, Yuan Ye would have to endure more words from him and wouldn't be able to sleep all night.

\n\n

Shaking his head, Yuan Ye remembered the comment Fang Shaoyi had mouthed to him earlier and couldn't help but laugh. Sometimes, Fang-laoshi was just too adorable.

\n\n

Earlier, Fang Shaoyi's eyes had darkened and his face had shown his helplessness, but he had to pretend to be calm and collected.

\n\n

He lightly threw out a comment, "Why are you so shameless?"

\n","published_time":"2023-06-12T00:17:43.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:25.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":237,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":11,"chapter_title":"Chapter 11","content":"

Yuan Ye chose his cow quite well, and the milk production was quite alright. It felt effortless to milk them.

\n\n

However, this couldn't make up for the fact that he was the only one doing the work. Fang Shaoyi didn't even lift a finger, not even to hold a bucket. In the end, Yuan Ye couldn't get the luxurious room he wanted and asked Fang Shaoyi, "Why didn't you milking?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at the camera and whispered, "I don't like doing that."

\n\n

"I like it," Yuan Ye said, laughing at him. "I like it ah? I'm willing to milk a person's...the cow's... milk?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi lowered his eyes and smiled, "I can see that you like doing it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought to himself, what do I like doing? Is it cows that I like to milk?

\n\n

Cheng Xun and Chi Xing got the luxurious room. They had been squeezing and working hard just now. Yuan Ye joked with them, "Did you two just steal my best cow? If you used my cow, you have to split the reward with me, right?"

\n\n

Chi Xing had become more familiar with Yuan Ye now and was no longer afraid to speak up like before. He handed the bucket of milk they had just squeezed to Yuan Ye and said, "We can't split the room, so we give you the milk instead."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and tilted his chin, ignoring him. "Take it away, I don't want it."

\n\n

The two young men didn't say much in front of the camera, but they came to Yuan Ye privately later. Cheng Xun said, "Brother Yuan Ye, why don't you and Brother Shaoyi share the room? I think he doesn't look too comfortable."

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him, patted his arm, and shook his head. "No need, I understand your intentions."

\n\n

"It's okay, Little Xing and I can sleep anywhere," Cheng Xun said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at him, but still shook his head and said, "No, thank you. I appreciate it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye had always had a good impression of the two of them. They were not as scheming as other children and had enough emotional intelligence.

\n\n

They didn't say on camera that they would give their room to Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi, which made them even more likable. They could have easily said it in front of everyone during the milk squeezing and room allocation, and even mentioned Fang Shaoyi's discomfort to show their politeness and consideration. The program would have praised them for it.

\n\n

They were never like that, always very sensible in their dealings. Yuan Ye really liked these kinds of young people, in their early twenties, with such a strong sense of purpose in their actions. But if you were to replace them with one of those young couples who put on a show and play up their personas, Yuan Ye wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut and would definitely fire back.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao didn't come along this time, but it didn't really matter since the recording didn't need an assistant like him. After finishing up for the night, Fang Shaoyi lay down to sleep with only Yuan Ye and himself in the tent.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't intend to start a conversation, but it seemed like letting Fang Shaoyi go to sleep wasn't too good. Last time they recorded the show, Ji Xiaotao had already kept nagging and talking for half the night to put in more effort.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had already laid down, but Yuan Ye hesitated before walking over and squatting in front of the low bed. He lightly touched Fang Shaoyi's hair and called out, "Hey."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "Are you really going to sleep like this?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stared at him, his eyebrows raised even higher.

\n\n

Yuan Ye realized his question was a bit silly. How else would one sleep? It was as if they had something else to do.

\n\n

Clearing his throat, Yuan Ye said, "It's quite dry over here. Are you really going to sleep like this without even wiping your face?"

\n\n

After hearing Yuan Ye's question, Fang Shaoyi withdrew his gaze and calmly replied, "Not wiping it."

\n\n

As he spoke, Yuan Ye couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. Back when they were still doing well, Fang Shaoyi would often come back exhausted from filming and immediately wash his face and go to sleep. Yuan Ye would playfully sit on top of him and give him a massage, apply lotion and essence.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi was younger, he didn't really bother with these things, but after turning thirty, everyone had to face aging. Even if the body didn't age, the skin definitely wasn't as good as before, so before going to bed, he had to complete these tasks.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was still squatting there, in an unusually good mood tonight. Maybe it was because he had ridden a horse for a while and felt relaxed, or maybe it was because he had laughed a lot while milking in the afternoon. Anyway, his mood wasn't too dull at the moment.

\n\n

He touched Fang Shaoyi's head and laughed shamelessly, "Brother Yi, let me wipe your face."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi frowned and buried his face in the blanket, muttering, "Why are you so annoying?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye still smiled, reaching into Fang Shaoyi's suitcase to grab his facial products. As soon as he unzipped it, Fang Shaoyi sat up and said in a low voice, "Don't touch my suitcase."

\n\n

Yuan Ye froze, his hand still on the luggage, and turned to look at Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stared back at him expressionlessly and repeated, "Don't touch my suitcase."

\n\n

Yuan Ye blinked slowly, a curve appearing at the corner of his mouth, unsure if it was a smile or something else. He nodded and said, "Okay."

\n\n

Standing up, Yuan Ye took a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. He then tucked his chin into his coat and buried half of his face in it, feeling the cold metal of the zipper against his nose. Without looking at Fang Shaoyi, he simply said, "Sorry."

\n\n

"I'm used to being casual," Yuan Ye added. "Don't mind it."

\n\n

This statement was like a thorn, poking a hole in Fang Shaoyi's heart and leaving behind a painful sting. When you hurt others, you also hurt yourself. After saying this, Yuan Ye walked out with his hands still in his pockets.

\n\n

The wind outside was a bit chilly. He walked quite far and lit a cigarette against the wind. The smoke was dry and spicy as it entered his throat, causing Yuan Ye to cough. He waved the cigarette in front of him with the hand holding the cigarette, but instead of dissipating, the smoke seemed to increase, swirling around in his vision.

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and turned his head to curse himself in the wind, "...Stupid idiot."

\n\n

Previously, Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye could still put on a harmonious and loving facade in front of the camera. Even though they weren't as clingy as other couples, they were just like that in real life and didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

\n\n

But halfway through filming the next day, even the assistant director couldn't help but ask Yuan Ye, "Yuan-laoshi, what's going on between you and Fang-laoshi?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye was preparing for sledding, with his head down oiling his sled shoes. Yuan Ye didn't even look up when he asked her, "What's wrong with us?"

\n\n

"It's just that I feel like you and Fang-laoshi aren't in high spirits," the young director said cautiously. "Did anything happen between you and Fang-laoshi?"

\n\n

"Nothing happened," Yuan Ye stood up and smiled at her. "Don't worry."

\n\n

Since the first episode of this program, Yuan Ye has been acting more energetically. He always takes the initiative to stick to Fang Shaoyi, creating a natural on-screen relationship between them and not letting others see through it. Fang Shaoyi's words last night had left Yuan Ye unable to even stir up his own emotions, let alone act in any scenes.

\n\n

They're just putting on a show. To outsiders, they look like a loving couple, but it's all fake. One word is enough to reveal the true nature of their fake intimacy.

\n\n

With Yuan Ye's temper, it's already quite difficult to get to this point in the filming. Today, their task is to go sledding. They will first learn from the coach and then have a sledding competition. Everyone is ready and waiting to listen to the coach.

\n\n

Sledding is not much different from skiing, and several people here should already know how to do it. But for the sake of the show's effect, they have to pretend it's their first time or act like they're not familiar with it. Later, they will intentionally fall a few times to add some humor.

\n\n

But today, Yuan Ye didn't want to be the monkey performing for others. He put on his gear and quickly darted out. He slid down the slope with a sharp turn and disappeared in a flash.

\n\n

Chi Xing looked at Yuan Ye with admiration, his eyes shining. He whispered, "Yuan Ye is so cool."

\n\n

"Whatever game it is, he always disappears in a flash," Lin Tian laughed. "It's a pity that Brother Ye didn't become an athlete."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "He never behaves properly. That wild monkey, just ignore him."

\n\n

Yuan Ye did a turn and when he came back from behind, Fang Shaoyi was slowly sliding down the slope. Yuan Ye had adjusted his state and he accelerated towards Fang Shaoyi's direction.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned around and saw him coming towards him. He didn't try to dodge to the side, but instead lowered his body slightly to stabilize his center of gravity. Yuan Ye didn't slow down and pounced on Fang Shaoyi from behind with a strong force.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't hold on and they both fell together. Yuan Ye used his strength to roll them both onto the grass onto their side, and despite the awkwardness, they ended up in a rather intimate position.

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed like he was crazy for a while, while Fang Shaoyi looked a bit helpless. He patted Yuan Ye's arm and asked, "Are you okay?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head, still laughing and panting a little.

\n\n

Not far away, Cheng Xun saw them fall and started to come over.

\n\n

Yuan Ye waved his hand to signal that everything was okay.

\n\n

They had been filming all morning with cold faces towards each other, but now they were rolling around together and it looked pretty good. The young director secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi patted the crushed leaves off his leg and was about to get up when Yuan Ye grabbed his arm and pulled him towards him. Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow as Yuan Ye suddenly leaned in closer.

\n\n

In fact, Yuan Ye had been holding back his anger all morning. In his opinion, even though they were separated now, they had been together for over ten years and there was no need for either of them to put on a show for the other.

\n\n

His anger had made it hard for him to focus on acting, but he had gone outside to calm down and now he had to come back and do a good job on the show. If he didn't, it would affect Fang Shaoyi, who was after all a celebrity in the entertainment industry.

\n\n

But that doesn't mean Yuan Ye can just keep it all in. He can't suppress his anger, and it was making him feel uncomfortable.

\n\n

Yuan Ye grabs onto Fang Shaoyi's arm, with a smile on his face. Their eyes meet, and the camera captures a very ambiguous and captivating scene. If the program added some background music and made a trailer out of it, it would be perfect.

\n\n

No one else can hear what Yuan Ye whispers to Fang Shaoyi, but Fang Shaoyi can hear him loud and clear. Yuan Ye's voice is low and he says, "Brother Yi, I don't owe you anything, so stop picking on me. Let's finish recording this program together, or if you don't want to record anymore, we can each go our separate ways.

\n\n

"My brain must have been filled with drain oil to agree to recording this, taking many wrong steps with this one wrong step."

\n\n

His tone at the time sounded like he wanted to bite Fang Shaoyi's ear: "I definitely admit that my brain was filled with oil, but I didn't come here to please you. I just... wanted to see you."

\n","published_time":"2023-06-19T08:39:51.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":244,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":12,"chapter_title":"Chapter 12","content":"

I just wanted to see you.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was surprised by his own words. He hadn't intended to say that. All he wanted to say was, "Let's finish recording the program together."

\n\n

But now that he had said it, there was no point in trying to hide it. Yuan Ye coughed and then laughed at himself, asking Fang Shaoyi, "Can I take that back?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stared at him in silence for a moment before saying, "You can try."

\n\n

Yuan Ye crouched down and pretended to pat the grass, saying, "Yuan Ye retracts his message."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood up and reached out his hand. Yuan Ye smiled at him and then used his hand to stand up.

\n\n

The words from Yuan Ye had already lowered his stance, rendering everything he said before useless. "I just wanted to see you" was enough to soften his approach. But even if Fang Shaoyi didn't return the gesture, it wouldn't make Yuan Ye feel any worse or cheaper. After all, he was his Brother Yi, and what was said was said.

\n\n

Later on, the two of them returned to their normal selves in front of the camera, laughing and joking around. Before bed, one washed his face while the other sat cross-legged playing on his phone, and everything seemed harmonious.

\n\n

The next day, they entered the desert, which was also one of Yuan Ye's favorite places to play. After a day of playing, they had to wash off half a pound of sand. If it weren't for the constant need to be in front of the camera, the show would have been quite enjoyable.

\n\n

They aimlessly wandered and played around without any particular purpose, and didn't have to constantly check their phones for messages. It was quite nice.

\n\n

After the recording, as usual, Yuan Ye went straight home while Fang Shaoyi returned to the set. Every time after recording, Yuan Ye felt like he had lost half his life and needed at least two days to recover. But the next recording session would be later, with a twelve-day break before the next one.

\n\n

During this time, Yuan Ye had a chance to rest. One day, he had to go to the station to record a program for publicity, which was part of his contract. At least one member of their couple had to participate, and Yuan Ye took the initiative to take on this task.

\n\n

While taking a break, Yuan Ye went to visit his parents. His mother's first words upon seeing him were, "Oh my goodness, why have you lost so much weight?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and patted his mother's shoulder, saying helplessly, "Can you stop saying that every time you see me?"

\n\n

After looking around for a bit, Yuan Ye couldn't find his dad. He called out from inside the house, "Where's Professor Yuan Anping?"

\n\n

His dad's voice came from the balcony, "That loud voice can be heard from two kilometers away."

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and walked over to play with the birds his dad raised. "No classes today, Professor Yuan?" he asked.

\n\n

Professor Yuan replied, "Who would have so many classes everyday, I only have two a week."

\n\n

"Okay, so you have plenty of free time," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

Growing up, Yuan Ye had caused his parents a lot of worry, but now that he was an adult in his thirties, he didn't need them to worry about him anymore. He didn't even keep his divorce from Fang Shaoyi a secret from them. Despite their initial objections to their marriage, at the end he still ended up divorced.

\n\n

However, the elderly couple didn't say anything about his divorce. They didn't poke at the wound on Yuan Ye's heart or say things like "I told you so, that you'll regret it." They simply didn't bring up the matter.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had always been this way since he was young. Once he made a decision, no one could change his mind. He would bear the consequences himself and never complain.

\n\n

During dinner, his mother asked, "Where did you go this time?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "Inner Mongolia."

\n\n

"When will it be on TV? I want to watch it too."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and shook his head, "Forget it, it's too silly. After watching it, you won't even recognize me."

\n\n

His mother laughed, "Then do you think you're not silly usually? You've been silly for so many years, we're used to it."

\n\n

There was a moment of silence before Yuan Ye spoke up, "It's not a matter that kind of silly, this kind has no dignity."

\n\n

His father picked up on his words and looked at him, "Then why are you still doing it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, "I already agreed, so I'll still go. Besides, it's quite a bit of money, I might as well do it, right?"

\n\n

His father didn't say anything more about it, only saying, "For the past thirty years, you've only cared about your own happiness. I hope you continue to live like that in the future, as long as you're happy. But life can't always be happy, everyone has difficult times. Follow your heart, see clearly, understand in your heart. We won't say more."

\n\n

Yuan Ye paused for a moment, then looked at his father and laughed. He didn't have any alcohol in his hand, just a cup of juice. He insisted on pouring his father a glass of juice and clinked his own cup against his father's before taking a sip. His father thought he was crazy, but still took a sip himself.

\n\n

"Can't you just eat your food properly?" his father scolded him. "Are you always so annoying?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed heartily and loved the way Professor Yuan's eyes softened despite his stern demeanor.

\n\n

In fact, Yuan Ye grew up in a very free environment. His family basically let him do whatever he wanted and rarely intervened, and even if they did, he wouldn't listen. Compared to Ning Lu and Guan Zhou, he was the least restricted by his family.

\n\n

When Ning Lu was young, his father had beaten him with a belt so hard that he broke two of them. Guan Zhou didn't have it as bad, but his family still kept a tight leash on him and he had to attend extra classes every day.

\n\n

Only Yuan Ye spent his days playing around, but he still had the best grades, so there was no arguing with him.

\n\n

Originally, this program was supposed to air next month, but another program suddenly had an unexpected issue. One of the guests had a sensitive situation, and the higher-ups sent a document forbidding it from airing. The production team had no choice but to pull that program and replace it with this one first, and then figure out whether to replace the guest and re-record the episode or not.

\n\n

So in the past few days, there were suddenly photos leaked online of their previous recording sessions, one after another. Among them, Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye's appearance on the show was the most highly anticipated.

\n\n

Later, the program team also released some animated gifs on Weibo to promote the show. They had to repost that post, but Yuan Ye just handed his phone to Ji Xiaotao and let him handle it because he was too lazy to deal with it.

\n\n

Yuan Ye only briefly glanced at it in the beginning and didn't bother with it afterwards.

\n\n

One day, while he was chatting with Ning Lu and a group of people in the group chat, he suddenly received a call. When he saw the name on the screen, he raised an eyebrow.

\n\n

"Oh, President Geng?" Yuan Ye answered the phone and greeted him.

\n\n

The person on the other end of the phone was Geng Jinwei, who used to be Fang Shaoyi's agent and is now in charge of Fang Shaoyi's studio. Fang Shaoyi has been under his guidance since he was in his teens. At that time, Geng Jinwei had just graduated and was the one Fang Han chose to manage him. He made the right choice, as Geng Jinwei is a resourceful person and has become a gold-tier agent in the industry.

\n\n

However, Yuan Ye's relationship with him has always been average. They get along on the surface, but they are not as close as he is with Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei was definitely not the same type of person like Ji Xiaotao, who was as innocent as a little white rabbit. If he had that kind of personality, he couldn't have been able to become a manager.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had not taken on any bad roles in recent years, and had always been able to continue with quality scripts. In addition to Fang Shaoyi being Fang Han's son and his own acting skills being top-notch, part of the reason was also because Geng Jinwei had the means and connections, and could obtain and hold onto resources, mingling well in this industry.

\n\n

Yuan Ye rarely contacted him privately and seldom received his calls, so it was a bit surprising to receive one now.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei greeted him, "It's been a while, little brother Ye."

\n\n

He was also an old smoker, with a low and hoarse voice, and Yuan Ye replied, "It's definitely been a while, what's up, President Geng?"

\n\n

"What president," the other person laughed and said, "Call me Brother Geng. What's with this? The two of you split up and now you don't even call me brother anymore? Shouldn't I also call you Yuan-laoshi then?"

\n\n

"Hahaha, I was just kidding," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

If Geng Jinwei had nothing to discuss, he wouldn't have called him, but it wasn't a big matter. He just asked Yuan Ye, "Have you been online these past few days? Someone said that the two of you were divorced. Have you seen it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye frowned, "What? I haven't seen it."

\n\n

"It's nothing, just a post. We'll have it deleted later," Geng Jinwei continued, "I'm not asking you about that. I just want to ask you, little brother Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied with a "Mm", "Ask away."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said, "How do you think we should handle the matter about you and Shaoyi?"

\n\n

The man's words were too direct, causing Yuan Ye's nerves to jump. He laughed and said, "What do I think? I have no opinion. Whatever you decide is up to you. I don't care. If it ever becomes public...just try to minimize the impact on the Fang Shaoyi. Otherwise, you can say I cheated? It's all good."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei was not polite on the phone. He cursed and then said, "I can't afford to play games with you guys. This Brother Geng's getting old. I already said to reject this show but the both of you still took it. After getting divorced and still doing this kind of show, are you taking everyone else as fools? If it's exposed, we'll all be in trouble."

\n\n

"I've thought about this," Yuan Ye leaned back on the sofa, holding his phone and closing his eyes as he tilted his head back against the sofa's backrest. "If that day really comes... blame everything on me, the divorce, the program, you name it. You know better than I do how it can be done. At that time, you don't have to worry about me, Brother Geng. I'm not a celebrity, nor am I part of your entertainment industry. I don't care."

\n\n

"Do you not know Fang Shaoyi?" Geng Jinwei laughed mockingly, "He could never be that kind of person."

\n\n

"He can't, but you can," Yuan Ye laughed, then continued, "Really, I'm not afraid of anything. Whatever comes, I'll face it head on. As a writer, how many of us aren't a bit promiscuous, right Brother Geng?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei didn't say anything more, only saying, "Let's talk about it later. If nothing unexpected happens, this matter shouldn't be exposed. Even if it is, I can handle it. You two will eventually be the death of me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed again and exchanged a few more words with him before hanging up the phone.

\n\n

Yuan Ye closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. After a while, he picked up his phone and logged onto Weibo.

\n\n

The internet was once again discussing his past relationship with Fang Shaoyi. Some old posts that were previously made had been dug up again. Yuan Ye clicked on each one and some of the memories that were being recounted by others made his heart feel warm and soft.

\n\n

He clicked on a video of Fang Shaoyi receiving his first Best Actor award at a ceremony.

\n\n

Many years ago, the video was not very clear, but you could still see clearly the dazzling figure standing in front of the big screen. Fang Shaoyi was wearing a suit and holding a trophy, looking very handsome. He said, "Thank you, Director Qin, thank you to the crew, and also thank you to all the seniors who acted with me. You have helped me grow a lot, thank you."

\n\n

After he finished speaking, he looked at the trophy in his hand, waved it, and with a focused and gentle gaze, he smiled and said, "Today, I give this award to my lover, Yuan Ye - Happy Birthday, wild monkey."

\n\n

The author has something to say:

\n\n

Yuan Ye: Why do you all want to trip me up every day?

\n","published_time":"2023-06-25T23:15:57.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":251,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":13,"chapter_title":"Chapter 13","content":"

I just wanted to see you.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was surprised by his own words. He hadn't intended to say that. All he wanted to say was, "Let's finish recording the program together."

\n\n

But now that he had said it, there was no point in trying to hide it. Yuan Ye coughed and then laughed at himself, asking Fang Shaoyi, "Can I take that back?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stared at him in silence for a moment before saying, "You can try."

\n\n

Yuan Ye crouched down and pretended to pat the grass, saying, "Yuan Ye retracts his message."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood up and reached out his hand. Yuan Ye smiled at him and then used his hand to stand up.

\n\n

They aimlessly wandered and played around without any particular purpose, and didn't have to constantly check their phones for messages. It was quite nice.

\n\n

While taking a break, Yuan Ye went to visit his parents. His mother's first words upon seeing him were, "Oh my goodness, why have you lost so much weight?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and patted his mother's shoulder, saying helplessly, "Can you stop saying that every time you see me?"

\n\n

After looking around for a bit, Yuan Ye couldn't find his dad. He called out from inside the house, "Where's Professor Yuan Anping?"

\n\n

His dad's voice came from the balcony, "That loud voice can be heard from two kilometers away."

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and walked over to play with the birds his dad raised. "No classes today, Professor Yuan?" he asked.

\n\n

Professor Yuan replied, "Who would have so many classes everyday, I only have two a week."

\n\n

"Okay, so you have plenty of free time," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had always been this way since he was young. Once he made a decision, no one could change his mind. He would bear the consequences himself and never complain.

\n\n

During dinner, his mother asked, "Where did you go this time?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "Inner Mongolia."

\n\n

"When will it be on TV? I want to watch it too."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and shook his head, "Forget it, it's too silly. After watching it, you won't even recognize me."

\n\n

His mother laughed, "Then do you think you're not silly usually? You've been silly for so many years, we're used to it."

\n\n

There was a moment of silence before Yuan Ye spoke up, "It's not a matter that kind of silly, this kind has no dignity."

\n\n

His father picked up on his words and looked at him, "Then why are you still doing it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, "I already agreed, so I'll still go. Besides, it's quite a bit of money, I might as well do it, right?"

\n\n

"Can't you just eat your food properly?" his father scolded him. "Are you always so annoying?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed heartily and loved the way Professor Yuan's eyes softened despite his stern demeanor.

\n\n

Only Yuan Ye spent his days playing around, but he still had the best grades, so there was no arguing with him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye only briefly glanced at it in the beginning and didn't bother with it afterwards.

\n\n

One day, while he was chatting with Ning Lu and a group of people in the group chat, he suddenly received a call. When he saw the name on the screen, he raised an eyebrow.

\n\n

"Oh, President Geng?" Yuan Ye answered the phone and greeted him.

\n\n

However, Yuan Ye's relationship with him has always been average. They get along on the surface, but they are not as close as he is with Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

Yuan Ye rarely contacted him privately and seldom received his calls, so it was a bit surprising to receive one now.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei greeted him, "It's been a while, little brother Ye."

\n\n

He was also an old smoker, with a low and hoarse voice, and Yuan Ye replied, "It's definitely been a while, what's up, President Geng?"

\n\n

"Hahaha, I was just kidding," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye frowned, "What? I haven't seen it."

\n\n

"It's nothing, just a post. We'll have it deleted later," Geng Jinwei continued, "I'm not asking you about that. I just want to ask you, little brother Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied with a "Mm", "Ask away."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said, "How do you think we should handle the matter about you and Shaoyi?"

\n\n

"Do you not know Fang Shaoyi?" Geng Jinwei laughed mockingly, "He could never be that kind of person."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed again and exchanged a few more words with him before hanging up the phone.

\n\n

Yuan Ye closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. After a while, he picked up his phone and logged onto Weibo.

\n\n

He clicked on a video of Fang Shaoyi receiving his first Best Actor award at a ceremony.

\n\n

The author has something to say:

\n\n

Yuan Ye: Why do you all want to trip me up every day?

\n","published_time":"2023-07-02T23:36:43.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":258,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":14,"chapter_title":"Chapter 14","content":"

Fang Shaoyi said he had a dream, and Yuan Ye didn't ask what it was about.

\n\n

He just smiled at Fang Shaoyi, whose eyes looked small but charming when he smiled.

\n\n

This unexpected warmth made the recording of the show this time very enjoyable. Neither of them argued anymore, and in front of the camera, they looked like a real couple who had been in love for many years, with a deep understanding between them in every glance.

\n\n

Yuan Ye suddenly felt that acting in front of the camera for this variety show was quite interesting, and he wondered who was better at it, him or Fang Shaoyi. But Fang Shaoyi was after all a movie star, so he probably couldn't compare.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had been to Japan a few times, but he didn't particularly like it, mainly because he didn't like the food here.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi came to Japan to film, Yuan Ye followed him for two months, and he lost almost ten pounds during that time.

\n\n

This time, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi even snuck out out to soak in the water and had some late-night snacks.

\n\n

In fact, it was all arranged by the program team to have them record like this.

\n\n

This scene was not easy to shoot. Yuan Ye kept burying himself in the water and didn't dare to stand up. He silently criticized the program team for being either deliberate or foolish. The two of them were just chatting face to face in the water, wasn't it inevitable that something would happen?

\n\n

Especially in this kind of environment, Yuan Ye's mind was filled with similar scenes, which made him feel hot and bothered. Both of them sat still in the water for their own reasons, and neither dared to leave first.

\n\n

Later, Yuan Ye chased away the shooting teacher and told him to go to sleep and stop filming.

\n\n

As the program was about to wrap up, the young director approached Yuan Ye again about Canada. But Yuan Ye's stance remained unchanged - he didn't like Canada and he wasn't going. The director was at a loss and turned to Fang Shaoyi for help, thinking he might be more persuasive. Fang Shaoyi was indeed more tactful than Yuan Ye, and suggested, "Let's just leave this matter to my company. You don't need to ask Yuan Ye again, his answer won't change."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's public stance was consistent with Yuan Ye's - if Yuan Ye said he wasn't going, Fang Shaoyi wouldn't go either. But privately, he advised Yuan Ye, "It doesn't matter where we go. Don't get into a fight with them, it's not worth it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head, unwavering in his decision: "I'm not going." Upon seeing him, Fang Shaoyi didn't say much and simply nodded in agreement, "Okay."

\n\n

In the end, they didn't go to Canada, but everyone else didn't really care where they went. Only Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye insisted on not going, and they ended up sticking to the original plan of going to Australia.

\n\n

The production team may not have been too happy about it, but they didn't say much. After all, Fang Shaoyi's status was important and they couldn't really do anything about it. The contracts were already signed and it was normal for Fang Shaoyi to not agree to any changes.

\n\n

One day, Yuan Ye received a message from the program's director, Lin Wei, saying, "Yuan Ye, we'll go to Australia as per your wishes."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "I'm sorry, Director Lin. I've given you some trouble."

\n\n

Lin Wei responded, "No need to apologize, Yuan Ye. It's our fault for not discussing it with you earlier."

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew that he probably had some thoughts in his mind, but going to Canada with only one or two days' notice was simply a joke. Even if he gave more notice, Fang Shaoyi wouldn't have been able to make time.

\n\n

To others, this might seem like Yuan Ye was being difficult, but that's just who he is. He can't change his mind once he's made it up. Perhaps only Fang Shaoyi could convince him, but Fang Shaoyi wouldn't say anything.

\n\n

Their first episode of the show had already aired on TV, and Yuan Ye knew this even when he was still in Japan. His WeChat was buzzing with messages from people who had watched it, and they all came to talk to him.

\n\n

Ning Lu even posted a video in the group chat to make fun of him. Eventually, Yuan Ye just cut off his internet connection and stopped replying to anyone's messages.

\n\n

The production team had invested a lot of money in the show, and their pre-show publicity was spot on. They even hyped up several celebrity couples for days, including the two young and popular stars. As a result, the first episode of the show had great ratings.

\n\n

For years, Fang Shaoyi had been quietly making movies, and Yuan Ye was also an outsider to the industry. Many young girls today don't know much about them as a couple. But then, a wave of online posts began to surface, even including a short video clip of their wedding.

\n\n

Their "Handsome cp" even became a hot topic. The program editors even inserted the final interview segment into the show, which began with Yuan Ye's somewhat cold statement: "Whether he becomes famous or not, he is still Fang Shaoyi. Even if he wins an Oscar, he is still Fang Shaoyi."

\n\n

Many young girls found this segment particularly charming, especially when paired with Yuan Ye's thin eyelids and short stubble, giving him a bad boy look that was very attractive.

\n\n

Many fans of Yuan Ye were quite nervous. They were originally a mild and peaceful group, but with the sudden influx of people, they all became alert.

\n\n

They wondered if they should set some rules for the new fans. When it comes to Yuan Ye, just be peaceful and don't cause any trouble. If you want to join in the fun, then stay for a couple of days and leave. After all, he's just a writer of miscellaneous books. Your fan circle rules don't apply here.

\n\n

A small portion of Yuan Ye's fans followed him because of his relationship with Fang Shaoyi, but the majority were his readers. The first group of readers who followed him are now grown up, married, and have children. Many of the old fans were surprised to see Yuan Ye on TV and searched online to confirm it was really him.

\n\n

A comment under a Weibo post in Yuan Ye has received the most likes, and it was posted by a girl: "I just became a mother the day before yesterday, and it's nice to see you still happy like before. When I was in my senior year of high school, I read your book for the first time. At that time, I wanted to live like you, brave and adventurous.

\n\n

"In recent years, you haven't posted much on Weibo, and I always wondered if the mischievous boy who used to roll around in the mountains and climb trees was still happy. Today, seeing you laughing so confidently on the show, it's really great."

\n\n

However, because most of Yuan Ye fans are readers of his books, there are also many who are unwilling to see him appear on variety shows. They are disappointed and feel that it cheapens his image, by chasing glory and wealth.

\n\n

No matter what kind of comments were made, Yuan Ye didn't see them. He was barely even on Weibo. He didn't watch that episode of the show, and he hadn't even been online since returning from Japan.

\n\n

Although he was the one being recorded, he still didn't like watching himself on screen. It felt strange, like watching someone else, someone who was just acting alongside Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

He was probably the worst actor that Fang Shaoyi had ever acted with.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't go online until several days later, after everyone else had already joined in on the fun. He checked his WeChat and didn't bother responding to any useless messages.

\n\n

One day, Feng Leizi had contacted him and sent him a photoshopped picture of Yuan Ye throwing a banana while perched on a tree, turned into a monkey by a netizen. Feng Leizi said, "Isn't the picture photoshopped quite well?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye had never been on Weibo and had never seen the picture. He laughed and sent a voice message cursing, "Bro, do you have such photos now?"

\n\n

Feng Lei directly made a voice call to him. Yuan Ye answered and Feng Lei said, "After watching that program, I don't know how to talk to you. Before, I thought you were a deep and mature big brother, but now I think you're just too cute."

\n\n

"Wasn't I cute before?" Yuan Ye lit a cigarette and said, "I always thought I was cute."

\n\n

Feng Lei cursed and then said, "I'm not here to talk nonsense with you. I have something to ask you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "You saw my advertisement for you? Do I get a cut?"

\n\n

"What advertisement?" Feng Lei didn't understand.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "If you didn't see it, forget it. It probably wasn't aired."

\n\n

Feng Leizi replied, "Let's get down to business. Have you considered the project I mentioned to you before?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye answered quickly, "I don't really remember. My brain hasn't been functioning well lately."

\n\n

Feng Leizi paused for two seconds, then muttered under his breath before saying, "I mentioned it to you before, the one about the mute. I think you could write something great about it. Why don't you give it a try? You always write the best stuff about these kinds of things."

\n\n

Yuan Ye flicked his cigarette ash and said, "Oh, I remember now. Didn't someone else already write about it?"

\n\n

Feng Leizi scoffed, "He couldn't write for sh*t."

\n\n

Currently, Yuan Ye didn't have the mood to write anything. He had been feeling lazy for over a year now. Feng Leizi had mentioned a script that Yuan Ye was interested in before, but with his current state, he probably couldn't produce anything good.

\n\n

That's why he didn't answer the last time Feng Leizi called. This time, Yuan Ye didn't confirm anything and only said, "Let me think about it and get back to you."

\n\n

"Okay." Before hanging up, Feng Leizi changed his tone to a joking one and said to Yuan Ye, "Hey, old bro, I can see that the two of you are still in love. I heard rumors that you two had divorced, but it seems like it's just a bunch of nonsense. You two are as in sync as always. Isn't it nauseating?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled, "It's not that bad."

\n\n

After hanging up the phone, Yuan Ye stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and stretched his arms with a frown. Feng Leizi was the sharpest guy around, never wasting a word. Those last two sentences were like a casual joke, but they were actually a reminder to Yuan Ye that even he knew about his divorce. Feng Leizi didn't say it out loud, just gave him a heads up so he could be prepared.

\n\n

Yuan Ye let out a sigh and lazily plopped down on the couch, grabbing the remote to turn on the TV.

\n\n

After hearing what Feng Leizi had to say, he suddenly wanted to see the program too, to see how nauseating they were being and to catch a glimpse of Fang Shaoyi at the time.

\n\n

In the first two minutes, Yuan Ye almost didn't manage to continue on. Most people couldn't handle seeing themselves on TV like that, it was too silly and contrived. But as soon as it was his turn to be on camera, Yuan Ye felt uncomfortable and started fast-forwarding.

\n\n

Later on, there were more shots of Fang Shaoyi, with several different angles intercutting back and forth. After watching for a while, it actually seemed quite interesting.

\n\n

During the part where they went up the mountain, Yuan Ye was running around so much that he didn't even know what was going on. Fang Shaoyi laughed and said to the cameraman, "Let him play around, you can film me instead."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were so gentle and the lighting was warm, making the whole scene feel cozy and inviting.

\n\n

In the first episode, they only showed the part where they were allocating the houses on the mountain. The program ended with a scene of Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi lying next to each other in a tent, looking up at the stars. It looked quite romantic.

\n\n

Although he felt a bit silly watching this, Yuan Ye was still quite satisfied. He didn't turn off the TV until the commercials were over and he sat on the couch, lost in thought. The TV automatically switched to the next related video, which was a condensed version of their interview at the end of the show.

\n\n

The first pair interviewed were Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye. The interview was edited in an interesting way, with each person's responses interwoven. Yuan Ye watched the entire interview until the end. He remembered what he said, but he was curious about Fang Shaoyi's answers to some of the questions.

\n\n

The assistant director asked Fang Shaoyi, "How long have you been together with Yuan-laoshi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "It's been quite a while. Fifteen years have passed, and soon it will be the sixteenth year."

\n\n

"Wow, that's really a long time. So, if we calculate it, you two have been together since you were around twenty?"

\n\n

"Yes," Fang Shaoyi softened his usual seriousness in front of the camera and nodded. "We were young back then."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's answers to those small questions were almost identical to Yuan Ye's answers at the time. Their tacit understanding was very strong.

\n\n

Later, the assistant director laughed and asked, "May I ask you something? Who pursued whom first back then?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi quickly replied, "I pursued him first."

\n\n

The assistant director confirmed with him again, "You pursued him first? Are you sure?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and said, "Yes, I pursued him first."

\n\n

Both Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi claimed that they were the ones pursuing each other. The editor cut them together, placing their faces side by side with three colorful question marks in the middle.

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows as he watched Fang Shaoyi on the television screen, then shook his head and smiled after a moment.

\n\n

The interview was coming to a close, and the assistant director asked the final question: "Fang-laoshi, how do you evaluate your relationship with each other? What does your initial meeting and years of interaction mean to you?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't have this question at the time, perhaps because he was a little impatient towards the end and the director didn't ask any further. He sat up straight, listening to Fang Shaoyi's answer.

\n\n

The question left Fang Shaoyi silent for a while. He lowered his head and didn't look at the camera. The lighting was soft, and even though Fang Shaoyi's facial lines were so strong, he looked much gentler now.

\n\n

After a moment, he pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "You've caught me off guard. What does it mean? How should I explain..."

\n\n

He blinked his eyes after a moment and finally looked deeply into the camera. His gaze could penetrate people's hearts through the screen.

\n\n

He said, "Just...I am grateful for meeting him and thankful for fate. Perhaps it was destined for us to enter each other's lives. Thank you for this fate."

\n","published_time":"2023-07-10T02:03:20.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":265,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":15,"chapter_title":"Chapter 15","content":"

Fang Shaoyi's words melted Yuan Ye's heart with just one sentence.

\n\n

This Brother Yi was too gentle.

\n\n

Yuan Ye is the type of person who doesn't care about anything when he gets an impulse. He immediately sent a WeChat message to Fang Shaoyi after grabbing his phone, calling him "Brother Yi".

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied a few minutes later: "What's up?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at his phone and sent a message: "Thank you for our fate."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's response was quick this time, but it was only one word: "Mm."

\n\n

In interviews, both Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi claimed that they were the ones who pursued the other first. Their fans commented on the official blog: "Please ask the director to confirm who's lying between these two! Thank you!"

\n\n

- "I bet it was Uncle Ye who made the first move! He's the type to be straightforward! Ahhh, Uncle Ye was only 17 then, I just want to poke him to death!!"

\n\n

- "I actually think it might have been the film emperor who made the first move! He doesn't seem like the type to make things up (just a guess though)."

\n\n

- "Regardless of who made the first move, this couple is just too sweet 1551*"
\n
\n*T/N: a slang for "so sweet" in Chinese

\n\n

The above screenshots were sent by Ji Xiaotao to Yuan Ye, who found them quite amusing. Ji Xiaotao has been sending screenshots to Yuan Ye for the past few days, and whenever Fang Shaoyi is filming, he always finds Yuan Ye to chat with him.

\n\n

Sometimes, Yuan Ye gets annoyed and asks him, "Don't you have anything better to do?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao: "Brother Ye! I just got bribed by the fans! So, who chased who?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughs and sends him a voice message, "Get lost."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao wouldn't stop talking: "Brother Ye! I just received one million yuan! Who chased who!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't be bothered and simply told him: "Go ask Fang Shaoyi."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao kept throwing tantrums: "He's too busy filming to pay attention to me. Even when he's not filming, he ignores me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him: "Are you gay? Why are you being so annoying?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao replied: "Brother Ye, I love you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye locked his phone and ignored him.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao had been following Fang Shaoyi for several years. He was originally just a fan, but by chance, he became Fang Shaoyi's assistant. After all these years of hard work, he was now capable of working independently. However, he didn't have any big ambitions and just wanted to continue being Fang Shaoyi's assistant.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei had mentioned several times that he wanted to bring him back to the company to help train new employees. But Ji Xiaotao cried and refused to leave. Finally, Fang Shaoyi said, "Let him stay with me for now. When he wants to leave, we'll talk about it. I'm used to Xiaotao anyway."

\n\n

In fact, Fang Shaoyi was a person who was slow to warm up to someone. It took him a long time to accept someone into his life. Ji Xiaotao had been taking care of him for so many years that Fang Shaoyi had already gotten used to him.

\n\n

After only few minutes of peace, probably when Fang Shaoyi was taking a quick break, Ji Xiaotao started to annoy Yuan Ye again: "Hey, Brother Ye, who chased who between you two!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't take it anymore and set his phone to "Do Not Disturb" mode, throwing it aside.

\n\n

Who chased who?

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't help but laugh at the question. Who really chased who between the two of them?

\n\n

After Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye had become familiar with each other, there was once when Jian Xu joined them for a meal together.

\n\n

At the time, Jian Xu was filming a youth campus drama and played the role of a handsome male student. Fang Shaoyi was also offered the role, but he declined as he doesn't act in TV dramas. Jian Xu, on the other hand, was known for his TV drama roles, so they were on different paths.

\n\n

Jian Xu had been visibly annoyed during their meal and complained with a frown, "I f*cking hate going back to the set, every time I go back I feel sick and nauseous."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "What happened?"

\n\n

Jian Xu replied, "There is this assistant director in the crew, previously he told me-"

\n\n

"Stop here,", Fang Shaoyi interrupted, looked at Yuan Ye, and said, "He's still young, don't say any more."

\n\n

Jian Xu held his words back, looked at Yuan Ye, and chuckled, "I almost forgot that he's not even an adult yet."

\n\n

Their words didn't sit well with Yuan Ye, who rolled his eyes and asked Fang Shaoyi, "Who's still young? I'm only one year more junior than you guys. You're in your fourth year of college and I'm in my third."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded, "Mhmm."

\n\n

That's just how he is. He always responds in a calm manner, but his thoughts never change. Yuan Ye asked Jian Xu, "Is the assistant director trying to take advantage of you?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brow and looked at Yuan Ye, "Is it your place to ask?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shrugged and said, "I'm just curious."

\n\n

It's not like Yuan Ye was a child, and besides, they understood most things by the time they were 17. They were boys, not girls, so what was there to be afraid of? Jian Xu looked disgusted and said, "He wants to come on to me? He better have some face, and he better be able to actually do it. He wants me to come onto him instead!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't hold back and laughed for a while before saying, "You guys are really something."

\n\n

Jian Xu said, "There are all kinds of weird people in this circle. When I was 12, someone asked me to..."

\n\n

"Stop, stop," Fang Shaoyi interrupted again, causing Jian Xu to swallow back his words halfway. Fang Shaoyi frowned and said, "Don't say anymore."

\n\n

His expression was a bit serious, and Jian Xu felt that it might be a bit inappropriate to say such things to a child from outside the circle, so he didn't continue. Yuan Ye turned his eyes to Jian Xu and then to Fang Shaoyi, who was also looking at him. "Let's eat," Fang Shaoyi said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded, "Okay, Brother Yi."

\n\n

In fact, even if Jian Xu hadn't finished his sentence, Yuan Ye had already guessed what he was going to say, and it made him feel a bit nauseous.

\n\n

That night, Yuan Ye sent a text message to Fang Shaoyi, asking him, "Brother Yi, is it always like that when you guys film?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi quickly replied, "It's not always like that. It also depends on the production team. Don't think about it anymore."

\n\n

Despite it being an old-fashioned keypad phone with a small screen, Yuan Ye had been sending text messages to Fang Shaoyi a lot lately. He wanted to chat with him about anything, as long as there was something to say.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "Have you ever encountered it?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took a moment before replying, "It's already 10 o'clock, why aren't you sleeping?"

\n\n

"I'm not sleepy," Yuan Ye replied.

\n\n

"I am," Fang Shaoyi said, "and my phone is dead."

\n\n

Yuan Ye bit his lip with impatience. Fang Shaoyi clearly didn't want to answer his question and was changing the subject. So, Yuan Ye sent another message, "Even if you're tired, I still want to know. Have you ever encountered it, Brother Yi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi seemed helpless and finally replied, "Whether I have or not doesn't matter. I won't do those things, and no one can force me to do anything."

\n\n

"Is it because your dad is Fang Han?" Yuan Ye asked.

\n\n

"Yes," Fang Shaoyi confirmed.

\n\n

"Are you sleepy now?" Fang Shaoyi asked.

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought for a moment before asking, "What if the other person is a beautiful girl? Would you be willing?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi: "What exactly are you asking?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye was used to being straightforward and was getting tired of beating around the bush. So, he asked directly, "Are you still a virgin?"

\n\n

Although Fang Shaoyi was used to Yuan Ye's habit of saying the unexpected, this time he seemed to be stunned silly and didn't respond for a while. Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and asked again, "You...aren't anymore, right?"

\n\n

Still no response from Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat up in bed and started furiously typing away on his phone, sending message after message.

\n\n

"Aren't you?"

\n\n

"Are you or not?"

\n\n

"Are you or not?"

\n\n

"Are you or not?"

\n\n

"Why aren't you answering me?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still hadn't replied, and Yuan Ye had stopped messaging him. Yuan Ye jumped out of bed after flipping over. His roommate was startled and asked, "Did you fall off?"

\n\n

"No, I jumped. Go back to sleep, it's nothing," Yuan Ye replied.

\n\n

He was wearing short sleeves and shorts to bed, clothes that he could wear outside, so he put on his shoes and ran out.

\n\n

That was just his personality, he couldn't be held down, and he did whatever he wanted. Usually, if Fang Shaoyi didn't reply to his messages, Yuan Ye would just go to sleep on his own.

\n\n

But today, for some reason, Yuan Ye was particularly angry that Fang Shaoyi hadn't replied. Thinking about how Fang Shaoyi had already done that kind of thing with someone else made him feel disgusted, and his mind was in turmoil. He couldn't sit still.

\n\n

At 9:30 pm, Fang Shaoyi was still sitting in his chair reading when there was a loud knocking on the door. He was a bit surprised.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi opened the door to Yuan Ye who had run through the school gates and straight to Fang Shaoyi's dorm, panting heavily. Yuan Ye's eyes were burning with anger as he stared at Fang Shaoyi, his face stubborn. Fang Shaoyi was surprised and asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye stared at him and asked, "Why didn't you reply to my text?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi blinked and replied, "My phone died, didn't I tell you? What's wrong with you?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye tightly pursed his lips, still looking angry. Fang Shaoyi didn't know what was going on, so he reached out and pulled him inside, closing the door behind them. Once the door was shut, he asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with you?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye never hid his emotions and said, "I'm angry."

\n\n

"What are you angry about?" Fang Shaoyi asked.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked away and said, "You didn't reply to my message."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't help but laugh and reached out to pat Yuan Ye's head, rubbing the back of his head. "You're angry just because I didn't reply to your message?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye grabbed Fang Shaoyi's hand that was rubbing his head and pressed it down, staring at him. "You're not a virgin anymore? Have you slept with someone?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi frowned and said, "What kind of nonsense is this?"

\n\n

He had just sent his last message when his phone died. Fang Shaoyi walked over and turned on his phone, waiting for any messages that hadn't been received. After a while, his phone kept buzzing non-stop.

\n\n

He lowered his head and read all the messages, then looked out at Yuan Ye, not knowing what expression to make. Finally, Fang Shaoyi smiled helplessly and shook his phone at Yuan Ye, "See, I really have no battery left."

\n\n

He didn't need to say anything, as Yuan Ye had already seen it. He stood there like a stubborn little bull, persistently asking Fang Shaoyi, "Have you slept with anyone else?"

\n\n

"No," Fang Shaoyi replied without hesitation, repeating himself, "No, come here."

\n\n

The anger that was boiling inside Yuan Ye had dissipated, and he wasn't feeling as upset anymore. When Fang Shaoyi asked him to come over, he complied without hesitation. As he walked over, Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What if I told you...that I had?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't look up, but instead shook his head and replied, "You just said you hadn't."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi then asked him, "Do you believe whatever I say?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded confidently and said, "I believe you. If you say it, then it must be true."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and lightly tugged on his ear, feeling a bit helpless. "Look at the time. You ran all the way here just for this? Are you going to run back now?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye rubbed his nose, then looked up at him. With a quick hop and a jump, he pushed off the bedrail and flipped himself up onto the bed above him. From above, he dangled his legs and looked down at Fang Shaoyi, grinning like a mischievous rascal.

\n\n

"I'm not running anymore. Tonight, I'll sleep in your bed, and you can sleep in your roommate's bed."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at the small dimple that appeared on his eyelid when he smiled and nodded.

\n\n

At that time, Fang Shaoyi thought to himself, 'Not just the bed, I'll give you anything you want.'

\n","published_time":"2023-07-16T17:18:54.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":272,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":16,"chapter_title":"Chapter 16","content":"

Yuan Ye often went to their school, sometimes even staying late to play. He was playing poker with in Guan Zhou's dorm when Guan Zhou said, "Why don't you just stay here tonight? We can share the bed."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's face was covered in notes as he shook his head, "You sleep in your bed, I don't want to share."

\n\n

"Or I can sleep in Little Ding's bed, he's going home tonight," Guan Zhou suggested.

\n\n

Yuan Ye still shook his head, "I won't sleep here, hurry up and put down your card."

\n\n

Guan Zhou placed his next card, saying, "It's already so late, the door will be locked soon."

\n\n

Yuan Ye continued playing cards and said nonchalantly, "I'll go stay at Brother Yi's place."

\n\n

One of his roommates playing cards looked up and asked Yuan Ye, "Brother Ye, are you going to the celebrity dorm again? Wow, you can sleep with the stars now??"

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't help but laugh at his exaggerated expression. He threw his cards and said, "Alright, I'm done playing. You guys should go to bed early! I'm leaving!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye stood up and removed the notes from his face before leaving. If it weren't for Guan Zhou reminding him of the time, he would have forgotten. Guan Zhou asked him, "Does he have enough space there?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't turn around and raised his arm, saying, "Yes, don't worry about it. Hurry up and pack."

\n\n

The route from Guan Zhou dorm to Fang Shaoyi's place was very familiar to Yuan Ye. It only took him five minutes to get there. Before knocking on the door, he looked up at Fang Shaoyi's window and saw that the lights were off. Yuan Ye knocked on the door softly and asked, "Brother Yi, are you asleep?"

\n\n

There was no response from inside the room, so Yuan Ye knocked a few more times. He figured that Fang Shaoyi must have been asleep, so he turned around to leave. He planned to check if the front gates were locked and then head back to Guan Zhou's dorm if they were. However, just as he turned around, the door opened behind him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye turned back with a big smile on his face, trying to please Fang Shaoyi. He greeted him with a cheerful "Brother Yi!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi held onto the door and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Where are you going?"

\n\n

"I saw you were asleep, so I was going to head back to my school or to Guan Zhou's dorm to crash," Yuan Ye scratched his head and chuckled, "I was playing poker at Guan Zhou's place and lost track of time."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shifted to the side as Yuan Ye, with his head down like a monkey, crawled under his arm.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was indeed asleep, it seemed like he had purposely gotten up to open the door for him. His blanket was spread out on the bed, and Yuan Ye felt a bit embarrassed, "You go ahead and sleep, Brother Yi. Don't worry about me, I'll tidy up and sleep in the empty bed later."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and at the moment, he didn't look like a celebrity, just a handsome student. The only light in the room was the small desk lamp on his table, casting a weak and warm glow.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pulled out a T-shirt and shorts from the closet and casually flicked Yuan Ye's head as he handed them over.

\n\n

"Don't you like sleeping in my bed?" he asked with a smile.

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled, "Your bed smells good."

\n\n

"Go wash up," Fang Shaoyi told him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye really did like sleeping in Fang Shaoyi's bed. There was a faint scent of him on the sheets that was comforting. When he lay on the pillow, he could smell it and it felt nice. He buried his face in Fang Shaoyi's pillow and couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart, but it was... interesting, to say the least.

\n\n

The next morning, Yuan Ye still had class. He woke up quite early, accustomed to bouncing around, and flipped out of bed as soon as he turned over. Fang Shaoyi had just returned from outside and heard a thud at the door. He quickly opened it and saw Yuan Ye putting on his slippers.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him with concern and scanned him up and down. "Did you fall?"

\n\n

"No, no," Yuan Ye shook his head, still smiling foolishly from just waking up. "I jumped down."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi frowned at him. "Why do you always jump around? You'll fall."

\n\n

"I'm used to it," Yuan Ye continued to smile. At that moment, he was particularly fond of laughing. "I won't fall. When I was little, I used to jump down from the rafters. This bed is not that high."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, "You're so mischievous," giving up on trying to reason with him.

\n\n

After washing up, Yuan Ye sat at Fang Shaoyi's table for breakfast, which Fang Shaoyi had gone out to buy for him after his morning run. Yuan Ye was carefree and spent most of his time hanging around Fang Shaoyi without realizing he might be bothering him.

\n\n

He didn't feel any distance between them, unlike Fang Shaoyi who was always cautious with his words. Yuan Ye would even wear Fang Shaoyi's clothes and eat in the dormitory without a care in the world.

\n\n

Back then, Yuan Ye was indeed too young, he was only seventeen. Plus, he didn't have any thoughts about love and relationships, he just knew how to play all day. Everything was just based on his mood at the time, he wouldn't think too much or carefully consider why. If he had more things on his mind, he might not have been so open when facing Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

During that time, Fang Shaoyi had actually already graduated and there were still several months before graduate school started. He left the school to go film. It was only after he left that Yuan Ye felt bored. He didn't even feel like going to find Guan Zhou. Usually, he just watched movies, read books, and wrote some random things.

\n\n

If he was really too bored, he could always call or text Fang Shaoyi. However, Fang Shaoyi rarely initiated contact, it was always Yuan Ye who reached out first, but always replied quickly.

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew that Fang Shaoyi was just that kind of person, who wouldn't actively seek out anyone or engage in social interactions. He always remained in a passive position in social situations, which made him seem distant and hard to approach.

\n\n

But Yuan Ye didn't mind this at all. He didn't even consider it. If Fang Shaoyi was slow to warm up, then he would just be more enthusiastic. If Fang Shaoyi didn't call, then he would. However, because Fang Shaoyi rarely initiated phone calls, Yuan Ye was always especially happy whenever he received one.

\n\n

One day, Yuan Ye was lounging in his dorm, scribbling on a piece of paper when his phone rang. He picked it up and held it to his ear, asking, "Who is it?"

\n\n

"Fang Shaoyi's voice came through the phone: "It's me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye recognized his voice and immediately raised his tone: "Brother Yi? I was just about to call you later."

\n\n

"What are you up to?" Fang Shaoyi asked him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had no classes now, and many of his classmates had gone for internships. He was bored and told Fang Shaoyi that he felt like he was just growing hair in his dorm. Fang Shaoyi found his complaints amusing and laughed, asking him, "Do you want to come and play on the set?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought for a moment and asked, "What are we going to play?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "Anything you want."

\n\n

The director of that play was a very familiar uncle to Fang Shaoyi, you could even say he was his father's best friend. One of them grew up on set and didn't think if was a big deal, and the other was naive and clueless, with a hole in brain. So Yuan Ye actually went.

\n\n

After a six-hour train ride, Yuan Ye packed a few sets of clothes and carried his suitcase to the train station to buy a ticket. He arrived in the middle of the night that same day.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was waiting for him at the station. When Yuan Ye came out, dragging his suitcase and smiling, Fang Shaoyi hugged him and smiled at him. In that moment, Yuan Ye felt especially happy, all the boredom and frustration he had accumulated over the past few days disappeared.

\n\n

At that time, Fang Shaoyi put Yuan Ye's things in his room and asked him, "Do you want to stay with me?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye never even thought about this question. He laughed like a fool and asked Fang Shaoyi, "Then where am I supposed to sleep?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at his silly face and couldn't resist pinching his cheek. He said, "I think you should sleep in the warehouse."

\n\n

"No way, I'll stay with you," said Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Yuan Ye then stayed in the same room as Fang Shaoyi, and they were always together. Although Yuan Ye was only seventeen, Fang Shaoyi was already twenty. In this circle, twenty was not considered old, but it was definitely not young. People on the set couldn't help but wonder why Fang Shaoyi was always with this young boy.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi went to the set, Yuan Ye went too. Fang Shaoyi watched him closely, afraid that he might get lost. Yuan Ye often brought a small stool to sit and watch Fang Shaoyi act. He enjoyed watching him, and it was his first time seeing Fang Shaoyi act live. He felt that Fang Shaoyi looked a bit unfamiliar, but also very charming.

\n\n

Sometimes, Fang Shaoyi would say to his assistant at the time, "Keep an eye on him." The assistant was a young girl, not yet thirty. She had been in the entertainment industry since graduation and was sensitive to certain things. At the time, she had misunderstood Fang Shaoyi's relationship with Yuan Ye.

\n\n

After a while, Yuan Ye began to sense something was off. He noticed that she spoke about him and Fang Shaoyi in a teasing manner. One night, after work, Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi in his room, "Brother Yi, I feel like your assistant has the wrong idea."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was reading a script and asked, "What wrong idea?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye was always straightforward and said, "She seems to think we're together."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes moved from the script to Yuan Ye and he asked, "What's together?"

\n\n

"Like lovers," Yuan Ye plopped down on the bed and didn't feel embarrassed to bring it up, "we talked for a while today and I feel like from her tone, she thinks I'm your partner."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much, only a simple "Mm."

\n\n

"What are you 'mm'ing for? Hahaha, don't you think it's strange?" Yuan Ye lay on the bed, looking at Fang Shaoyi from the side, "It's making me feel embarrassed."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and couldn't help but smile, saying, "I don't think you're feeling embarrassed, I can tell you're pretty happy about it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was quite happy, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why he felt this way every day. He didn't know where it came from or where it went. He even asked Fang Shaoyi, "Is it common for guys to date other guys in your entertainment industry?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and asked, "Are you interested in this?"

\n\n

"I'm just curious," Yuan Ye replied.

\n\n

"It's quite common, actually. What does gender have to do with who you like?" Fang Shaoyi said casually.

\n\n

"Ah, I see," Yuan Ye didn't say much more. He lay there for a while, then turned his head to look at Fang Shaoyi again. Who knew what he was thinking, but his voice became much quieter as he asked, "Brother Yi, do you...like guys?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and nodded straightforwarded, "Yes."

\n\n

Yuan Ye blinked and saw a small, beautiful curve on the corner of Fang Shaoyi's lips.

\n\n

Then Fang Shaoyi continued, "I like boys."

\n\n

For some reason, his expression made Yuan Ye feel a little nervous. He propped himself up on the bed with his arm and said, "Oh!"

\n\n

He turned his head to look away from Fang Shaoyi, but still heard Fang Shaoyi ask him, "Do you?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye touched his nose and asked, "Do I what?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi slowly spoke, throwing out only two words - "Like me."

\n","published_time":"2023-07-24T01:05:30.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":279,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":17,"chapter_title":"Chapter 17","content":"

After the second episode aired, the name "Wild Concubine" became incredibly popular.

\n\n

At the time, Yuan Ye was lying on a hammock reading a book, and even instructed the editors to highlight his scenes. They followed his request, and the words "Wild Concubine" flew across the screen, circling around Yuan Ye. Whenever he spoke, the words would follow him.

\n\n

The audience found it hilarious and flooded Yuan Ye's Weibo with comments and messages.

\n\n

However, Yuan Ye was completely unaware of all this. Lately, he had been feeling very calm and content, with no emotional fluctuations. He was quite satisfied with this state of mind and felt really good about himself.

\n\n

In the fourth episode, they went to a village in Guizhou. Yuan Ye loved the mountains, rivers, and ethnic culture there. And there were no more clashes between him and Fang Shaoyi. The two of them were in perfect harmony and full of love. This was the second to last episode, and every recording completed was one less to go.

\n\n

The last episode was recorded after a long break. The communication between the production team and the local partner in Australia was not smooth, and the props and itinerary were not arranged. The time kept getting delayed. If things were not sorted out on the other end, they would not be able to go.

\n\n

But the time was already set, and it was difficult to coordinate with the guests. The production team was in a bind.

\n\n

The lead director Lin Wei even posted a Weibo on his personal account, rambling on about how difficult the job is and how no one is easy to work with. The onlookers were eagerly waiting for more juicy details. Some B-list variety show stars who had worked with him before left comments to comfort him, to which Lin Wei replied, "It's not as easy as with you guys."

\n\n

Everyone knows that the show <In Time> is in its final stages of filming. At this time, he came out and criticized it, causing marketing accounts and fans to start arguing. However, since both Fang Shaoyi and Chen Ru are not always active in front of the audience, there are fewer impulsive fans and therefore fewer haters.

\n\n

The real drama is between fans of the Lin Tian pair and Cheng Xun and Chi Xing, who are constantly arguing and even made it to the trending topics. There is also a small group of people who are criticizing Lin Wei for being too dramatic and causing trouble.

\n\n

The official account of the program group remained silent, allowing the conflict to escalate. How could they let the free hype die down?

\n\n

Later, the official account and Lin Wei even made peace a few times. They first said that Chi Xing and Cheng Xun, the two young contestants, were very humble, which boosted the confidence of their fans. Then, the fans on this side began to say that the opposing side had too many problems, which caused trouble for the production team.

\n\n

Later, Lin Wei responded to the comments, saying that Lin Tian had high emotional intelligence and they had a pleasant cooperation. Lin Tian's fans also joined the fray.

\n\n

The fans on both sides bickered with each other and caused the production team to step back. It was unclear whether the officials deliberately mediated the conflict or if they had misidentified the parties involved from the beginning. It was also possible that the production team created this situation intentionally for the sake of generating hype.

\n\n

In the show, Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye took good care of Cheng Xun and Chi Xing, the two little kids. The two of them also openly expressed their fondness for their two older brothers. As a result, their fans didn't focus their attacks on them, but instead began targeting Chen Ru's wealthy husband. Chen Ru didn't even have a Weibo account, so she didn't care about the criticism.

\n\n

Gradually, Lin Tian's fans also began directing their criticism towards Yuan Ye, saying that he always played by himself and didn't participate in the games. They also accused him of acting high and mighty even though he had already agreed to participating in the show. Fang Shaoyi, on the other hand, didn't speak enough for them. The two of them were simply not suited for variety shows, and the washed-up film emperor was only doing it for the money.

\n\n

Naturally, Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye's fans were not going to take this lying down. Normally, they're peaceful, but if you mess with them, they won't just sit back and let you get away with it!

\n\n

Because of Lin Wei's Weibo post, along with some marketing accounts intentionally stirring up trouble, several groups of fans engaged in a never-ending battle that lasted for several days.

\n\n

However, the show still had to be recorded, and the guests didn't seem to be affected by the situation at all, as if they were completely unaware of what was going on. Finally, the last episode was recorded, and everyone was laughing and joking around, feeling nostalgic that this was the final episode and wondering if there would be another season.

\n\n

As for others, it's hard to say, but Yuan Ye was truly unaware. He never goes online to look at those things. The screenshots that Ji Xiaotao shows him are always something fun, and how could he possibly be interested in all this back-and-forth drama?

\n\n

Yuan Ye was still lost in his own thoughts, staring out the small window without saying a word. Fang Shaoyi didn't disturb him, holding a book and reading. It was the original work for an adaptation he would be filming next year, set in the background of the 1960s and 1970s.

\n\n

Between him and Yuan Ye, there was a peaceful tranquility. They were both doing their own things, and although they were silent, they were always connected. In the eyes of others, they were a whole.

\n\n

Later, Yuan Ye suddenly called out to him, "Brother Yi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi responded, "Mm."

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "It's the last episode, we can still record for one more week."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked up at him, gazing at Yuan Ye and asked, "So?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye met his gaze, then blinked and smiled, "So, I'm a little reluctant to stop recording."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's emotions were inscrutable. After years of acting, if he didn't want anyone to see through his emotions, then no one would be able to tell. He looked into Yuan Ye's eyes and asked, "Do you still have things you're reluctant about?"

\n\n

"Yes," Yuan Ye replied, "many things."

\n\n

It had been over a year since their divorce and they had hardly seen each other until now. They would likely continue to be apart for even longer, perhaps years without seeing each other. Yuan Ye smiled and was about to speak when Fang Shaoyi interrupted.

\n\n

"Do you regret it?" Fang Shaoyi asked.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him, smiled, and asked, "Do you regret it?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent at first, then after a moment, the corners of his mouth went down and he said in a deep voice, "No, I don't regret it."

\n\n

The expression in Yuan Ye's eyes flickered, then he smiled and turned his head back to continue looking out the window. He nodded and said, "Okay."

\n\n

He intentionally acted silly and used that tone, like a fool. Fang Shaoyi watched his profile for a long time.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't like flying and after such a long flight, he felt his legs were weak. This time, they had a new assistant director with them, not the previous girl, but a tall and strong guy. Yuan Ye didn't talk to him much during the trip, but he also didn't talk much in general, either sleeping or pondering.

\n\n

They left the airport at around 3pm. Fang Shaoyi was holding Yuan Ye's hand as they walked, occasionally appearing more intimate in front of the camera. Yuan Ye then shook his wrist and leaned in to ask Fang Shaoyi, "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "If you feel uncomfortable, tell me."

\n\n

"Mm," Fang Shaoyi said, "There are no issues on my side. Don't you remember?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, turned to look at the camera, then whispered, "If I didn't remember, I wouldn't have signed on my side."

\n\n

Everyone was in low spirits when they got off the plane, so they didn't plan to film much that day. They each took some time to film a few shots and called it a day. However, they had to wake up early the next day to go skydiving.

\n\n

He and Fang Shaoyi had already adapted to sharing a bed, and they had slept together many times during the filming of several episodes. At first, they avoided sleeping together because of their status as ex-husbands, but after sleeping together so many times, they stopped caring about that little bit of decency. Sometimes, they even woke up in each other's arms and whoever woke up first would just casually move to the side.

\n\n

One night, Yuan Ye lay on the bed with his belly exposed while Fang Shaoyi came out of the bathroom. Suddenly, Yuan Ye called out to him, "Brother Yi."

\n\n

He called him "Brother Yi" every day, and sometimes it gave people the impression that they had never changed. Fang Shaoyi looked at him and waited for him to speak.

\n\n

Yuan Ye pulled on the waistband of his shorts, tightened it, and then loosened it, lightly hitting his stomach with a soft "pop."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow.

\n\n

Yuan Ye blinked and smiled shamelessly, looking at him with a flirtatious tilt of his head, "This is the last episode."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi knew he was being difficult again, so he asked him the same question from earlier in the day, "Do you regret it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't answer, just shook his head.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi threw the towel back into the bathroom and Yuan Ye said, "Wipe your face."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head, "No need."

\n\n

After a while, Yuan Ye flipped off the bed with his cigarette in hand, washed his hands, and spat out the butt. When he came out, he threw all the bottles and jars that Fang Shaoyi needed to use onto the bed, sat at the foot of the bed, gave Fang Shaoyi a look, and patted his own leg.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood still for two seconds before walking over and silently lying down on the bed, resting his head on Yuan Ye's leg.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's fingers were very beautiful, long and slender. Fang Shaoyi used to say that he loved watching Yuan Ye type and write, the tendons in his hands moving up and down looked especially sexy. Yuan Ye, being mischievous, said that his hands were often sexy, and he would show Fang Shaoyi exactly how tonight.

\n\n

Yuan Ye never used these products himself, he didn't need to. He didn't need to wear makeup, nor was he a celebrity. But he was quite knowledgeable about the process, and when his fingers touched Fang Shaoyi's face, he laughed and said, "Fang-laoshi, your skin hasn't been doing well lately."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and said, "Don't talk like a makeup artist."

\n\n

Yuan Ye rubbed Fang Shaoyi's face with his palm and smiled lightly, "I'm serious."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi let out a grunt, "Getting old, can't sleep well and became like this."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's fingers lightly pressed on both sides of his eyes, near the temples. The first time he wiped Fang Shaoyi's face, they both felt it was a bit too feminine and couldn't help but laugh. Now, Yuan Ye was so skilled at it that he chuckled, "Don't be lazy in the future. Look at Jian Xu, he's still acting in idol dramas. His face looks pretty good."

\n\n

"Makeup can cover it up," Fang Shaoyi said, "It's all the same. Who's better than who?"

\n\n

The two of them lay together, one on top of the other's legs, applying eye cream and essence to each other. They chatted about all sorts of strange and unrelated topics, enjoying the rare peace and comfort. They both understood not to disturb this tranquility.

\n\n

Later, when there was nothing left to apply on his face, Yuan Ye gently pressed on Fang Shaoyi's scalp. Fang Shaoyi's breathing became steady, as if he had fallen asleep.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lightly tapped his thumb on the center of his eyebrows and thought to himself, 'Don't frown anymore, there's a wrinkle here.'

\n","published_time":"2023-07-30T19:22:29.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":286,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":18,"chapter_title":"Chapter 18","content":"

At four in the morning, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi went downstairs together. Yuan Ye yawned and asked, "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

\n\n

"I don't feel anything," Fang Shaoyi looked quite energetic, "but you look like you could use some more sleep in the car."

\n\n

"Mm." Yuan Ye yawned again.

\n\n

Last night, Yuan Ye gave Fang Shaoyi a massage and he fell asleep on Yuan Ye's lap. Yuan Ye didn't have the heart to move him and sat there until midnight, feeling like he was crazy.

\n\n

Up until now, Chen Ru's wealthy husband finally had a task that was his strong suit. Previously, no matter what game they played, he always ended up in last place.

\n\n

However, his relationship with Chen Ru was truly good, and the intimacy and understanding in their eyes couldn't be acted out. Chen Ru often teased him about needing more exercise, as coming in last place every time didn't look too good after all.

\n\n

As soon as he stepped out of the hotel today, he smiled and said to everyone, "I really know how to do this today."

\n\n

Yuan Ye greeted him and said with a smile, "I really don't know how to do this today."

\n\n

Chen Ru tugged at her husband and said, "You still dare to say it, don't show off."

\n\n

Today, they were going to go skydiving. The program team had repeatedly confirmed their physical condition, blood pressure, heart, and fear of heights. Only Lin Tian was too scared to play, and the program team would not force her.

\n\n

It was all voluntary, after all, if something really happened, no one could bear the responsibility. But for the sake of the show, she still had to act a little, and get on the plane, but she wouldn't actually jump out in the end.

\n\n

It was still over two hours from the hotel to the skydiving base. The driver and cameraman were in the front, while the director and other staff were on the last bus. Along the way, Yuan Ye leaned against the back seat, eyes opening and closing, and it was unclear if he had really slept.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had wanted to try skydiving twice before, but both times were cancelled due to weather. Today, although the clouds were thick, it wasn't raining and wouldn't affect the flight.

\n\n

Only Chen Ru's husband had the license to fly solo, as he was a frequent player with certification. There were eight coaches and several professional aerial photographers. The director let them choose their own coaches, based on who they found most attractive. Chen Ru laughed and directly chose the most handsome one.

\n\n

In the end, only two were left. Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi didn't really care about it and shook hands with the coach closest to them. They had already signed the agreement before and after a simple training, the actors boarded two separate planes.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was the last one to board and he would be the first to jump. He said to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother Yi, I'm actually a little nervous."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked over and joked with him, "Don't worry, relax. Brother Ye is the best in the world, there's no need to be nervous."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi has flown twice for filming purposes. The first time was for a skydiving scene, and the director asked if he could do it himself instead of using a stunt double. Fang Shaoyi said he could, and had to add in some actions and control his expressions. They filmed the scene multiple times, and Fang Shaoyi's ears were uncomfortable afterwards. He had to rest for several days.

\n\n

Today, they didn't have to do much except wait for the instructor to open the parachute.

\n\n

On the plane, there were only four of them: Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi,and Chi Xing and Cheng Xun. The two kids clearly liked them and were willing to work with them on anything. Chi Xing was a big fan and had starry eyes when he looked at the two. There were cameras set up at various angles on the plane to film them before they jumped.

\n\n

Chi Xing asked Yuan Ye, "Have you done this before, Brother Ye?"

\n\n

"I've hit a blind spot today, I really haven't done this one before," said Yuan Ye.

\n\n

"It's rare to hear you say you can't do it," teased Chi Xing with a grin. "Looks like you're not a hero today."

\n\n

"I wasn't a hero to begin with," Yuan Ye replied with a laugh.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's hairstyle was similar to that of his coach, a tough-looking man with tattooed arms who was a head taller than Yuan Ye. He wore a tight black short-sleeved shirt that showed off his impressive muscles. The two were bound tightly together by a harness, so tight that Yuan Ye's movements could brush against his coach's chest muscles.

\n\n

He turned to look at Fang Shaoyi, grinning shamelessly. "Brother Yi, this doesn't count as cheating, right?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and ignored him.

\n\n

At 15,000 feet, Yuan Ye jumped out of the plane with his coach strapped to him. In that moment, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. If only the person strapped to him was Fang Shaoyi, he would have loved to experience this with him.

\n\n

Freefalling from the clouds was a surreal feeling. Yuan Ye felt weightless, as if he had lost all sense of gravity. He wanted to turn around and see if Fang Shaoyi had jumped yet, but his body was completely out of his control.

\n\n

All he could hear was the sound of the wind rushing past his ears. He felt as if he was separated from the world, isolated and alone, squeezed through a crack in time and space.

\n\n

It was a profound and intense feeling of loneliness, as if he was the only person in the world.

\n\n

Behind his goggles, Yuan Ye closed his eyes and a flood of thoughts and impulses rushed through his mind.

\n\n

As the parachute opened, the sense of gravity gradually returned, and the experience became less magical. Yuan Ye opened his eyes and looked at the mountains and sea, feeling himself slowly returning to the earth. He smiled at his coach holding the camera, enjoying the thrill of flying around.

\n\n

The only downside was that his ears were now muffled, as if covered in a layer of film. When Fang Shaoyi arrived and removed his equipment, Yuan Ye greeted him with a smile and whispered something in his ear.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and raised his voice, saying to him, "You know I can't hear you clearly when you speak so softly."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shouted back, "I only spoke softly because I knew you couldn't hear well!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and asked him, "What are you afraid of me hearing?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and turned around, shouting, "Sweet nothings!"

\n\n

Coming down from the sky and stepping on the ground felt like returning to the mortal world. But it wasn't until he returned home after recording the show that he would truly return to the mortal world.

\n\n

That night, they stayed in a manor that covered several acres of land, with a small pond and a large apple orchard. The terrain here was very interesting, with high and low points that were particularly whimsical. Yuan Ye asked the new male director for a bike, but the director either didn't hear him or ignored him and walked away.

\n\n

In the end, Yuan Ye went out to borrow two racing bikes himself. When he saw the uneven streets, he really wanted to ride a bike.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi accompanied him, and two shooting teachers followed closely behind.

\n\n

The group discussed and Yuan Ye suggested, "Why don't the two teachers take a break? We're just going to ride for a bit."

\n\n

They smiled and shook their head, letting them ride while they captured footage of them driving fast and slow.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was used to being filmed by now and often acted as if the camera wasn't there. Fang Shaoyi was dressed in sportswear, looking relaxed and youthful. It seemed like they hadn't ridden bikes together much, and with Fang Shaoyi's status, he didn't have many opportunities to do so since they met.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked, "What did you say earlier today?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed mischievously, shaking his head and not answering, "Actually, I didn't say anything. I just blew air in your ear."

\n\n

"Rubbish," said Fang Shaoyi. He didn't slow down as he went down the slope, with Yuan Ye following closely behind. Fang Shaoyi didn't ask him the question that Yuan Ye didn't want to answer anymore.

\n\n

They were staying here for one night today, and they had two more days to go in Melbourne before flying back home. Once they flew back, this program would be completely recorded, and there were some small things to do afterwards that Fang Shaoyi probably wouldn't come back for. Yuan Ye let go of his hand from the handlebar and stretched his arms out recklessly.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Didn't you fly enough during the day?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and nodded, "Yeah, it was pretty fun."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes had a hint of a smile as he said to him, "I knew you would like it."

\n\n

As the show approached its end, something unexpected happened between Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi. They seemed to have let go of their guard and started to show a softer side.

\n\n

At times, they looked like a couple with shared memories, and at other times, they resembled old friends who knew each other well. Their unspoken understanding made them seem like a single entity, impenetrable to outsiders.

\n\n

Perhaps it was the excitement of flying during the day, but Yuan Ye found it hard to sleep at night. While Fang Shaoyi slept soundly, Yuan Ye put on a jacket and went outside with a bottle of beer. The stars were shining brightly, and Yuan Ye sat by the pond, gazing at the stars and the moon reflected in the water.

\n\n

Someone sat down next to him and when Yuan Ye turned his head, he was surprised to see it was Cheng Xun. Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and asked him with a smile, "Can't sleep either?"

\n\n

Cheng Xun also smiled and sat down next to Yuan Ye, honestly shaking his head and saying, "I only came out because I saw you here."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him, "Is there something on your mind?"

\n\n

Cheng Xun replied, "No, I just wanted to sit with you for a while and chat. We haven't had much chance to talk since we finished recording today."

\n\n

"Sure, let's chat," Yuan Ye said, taking a sip of beer and looking at Cheng Xun, gesturing for him to speak.

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew that Cheng Xun and Chi Xing were very different. One was a fox and the other was a rabbit. Cheng Xun was the little fox. He often thought differently from how he acted, and you could tell that he had more on his mind. But Yuan Ye didn't dislike him. He wasn't a bad kid.

\n\n

"Brother Ye, I've read all your books," Cheng Xun spoke up.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him, "You're 22 this year, right?"

\n\n

"Yeah, back then I was only in junior high. They were on the bookshelf at home, I don't know if my dad or my sister bought them," Cheng Xun said with a smile. "I'm not good at studying, and I don't like reading, but I really like that name."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow. "<The Axis>?"

\n\n

"No, <Moonlit Mountain>."

\n\n

"Mm," Yuan Ye nodded and chuckled. "Around that time, when I was about your age, what could I have written."

\n\n

Cheng Xun could name all of Yuan Ye's books and he truly enjoyed them. As they continued talking, Cheng Xun suddenly laughed and lightly tugged on his right ear, saying, "I used to admire you sincerely when I was a young boy."

\n\n

"Stop," Yuan Ye looked at him. "What else were you going to say? I am faithful, little brother."

\n\n

"It's not what you think," Cheng Xun chuckled twice and continued, "It was just pure...admiration? Idolization? I don't know, my language skills aren't great, but I just thought the world you created in your writing was so cool, and you seemed so happy. I wanted to live like you and be able to mock people as sharply as you did in the past."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed, and Cheng Xun continued, "After entering this circle, I didn't have much chance to live like that. In this circle... just being able to survive is good enough."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him, "Why did you enter this circle? Do you like singing and acting? Or do you like being a star?"

\n\n

"I don't know. I just entered it without much thought. Once I was in, I didn't particularly like doing anything," he lowered his head for a moment, then said, "Sometimes I feel a bit tired, the pressure is great, it seems like I can see the end of my life in this circle. After floating around in this circle for many years, and when I get old, I'll be eliminated."

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "Don't be so pessimistic. You're only in your early twenties, and you and Little Chi are still on the same path. That's pretty good."

\n\n

Cheng Xun shook his head and whispered, "You and Brother Shaoyi were so close, but you still separated, didn't you?"

\n\n

Her words were direct but honest. Yuan Ye was momentarily stunned, then laughed and patted his shoulder, shaking his head as he said, "Where did you hear that? Brother Shaoyi and I, no matter what, when we were in our early twenties, we never considered these things. I got married to Fang Shaoyi when I was your age. When we were young, we lived life to the fullest, doing what we wanted and taking what we wanted. Don't think too much about things that will stress you out."

\n\n

Actually, Yuan Ye could understand the emotions in Cheng Xun's heart. Everyone in this circle has it tough. He chatted with Cheng Xun for a while, and it was quite comfortable to chat on a sleepless night.

\n\n

Cheng Xun also said that he initially joined this program because he heard that Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi were coming, and both he and Chi Xing liked them. But he didn't expect that they would really come.

\n\n

He asked Yuan Ye why he joined this program.

\n\n

Yuan Ye chatted for a while but then stopped talking at that.

\n\n

He looked up and smiled, casually shaking the bottle of beer in his hand and said casually, "Because of love, haha."

\n","published_time":"2023-08-06T23:26:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":293,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":19,"chapter_title":"Chapter 19","content":"

Out in the open, Yuan Ye took a smoke break before returning home.

\n\n

He closed the door gently and went to the bathroom to freshen up again. He tried to keep his voice down, not wanting to disturb Fang Shaoyi's rest.

\n\n

After coming out of the bathroom, he checked his phone for any messages. He had left it charging in the room and didn't bring it with him. There were a bunch of notifications on the screen, but Yuan Ye only glanced at them before putting the phone down.

\n\n

As soon as he put down the phone and turned around, he suddenly heard Fang Shaoyi ask him, "Where did you go?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't expect him to be awake and whispered, "Did I wake you up? I couldn't sleep, so I went out for a bit. You should rest."

\n\n

The curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out all the light from outside. Yuan Ye couldn't see Fang Shaoyi clearly, but the temperature inside the room was just right, quite warm. Yuan Ye even chuckled and said, "I tried my best to be quiet, but I still disturbed you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "No, I just woke up and didn't see you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye changed his clothes and crawled into bed, saying to Fang Shaoyi, "Alright, I won't make any more noise. Sleep well, Brother Yi."

\n\n

Normally, they slept separately, not touching each other. But once they fell asleep, it was hard to say who would end up next to whom. Just as Yuan Ye was about to fall asleep, he felt Fang Shaoyi reach out and touch his hand, asking in a low voice, "Why are your hands so cold?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye was taken aback. The unexpected touch made his nerves go numb, and his fingers reacted before his brain did. Before he could fully regain his senses, he had already grabbed Fang Shaoyi's hand. After the action was done, Yuan Ye realized that such a reflex was not appropriate.

\n\n

He let go of Fang Shaoyi's hand and said, "I was just sitting by the water for a while. It was quite cool, but there were mosquitoes that almost bit me to death."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked again, "Alone?"

\n\n

"No, with Little Cheng." Yuan Ye answered candidly, still smiling. "We talked for a while, about life and relationships."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi made a low, deep "Mm" sound and casually threw out a question, "You two talked about relationships?"

\n\n

As soon as Yuan Ye heard this, he turned around, but it was too dark in the room for him to see Fang Shaoyi clearly. Suddenly, Yuan Ye laughed and asked him, "Then who else should I talk to?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't answer him, but instead asked, "Do you want to talk about relationships with someone?"

\n\n

If it were daytime, Yuan Ye would probably start talking nonsense again, but now it was too late. Fang Shaoyi usually couldn't sleep well when filming, and he had to wake up early every day to record this program. Yuan Ye take up any more of his sleeping time, so he smiled and gave in, "No, I don't want to chat. You should go to sleep, baby. What time is it already."

\n\n

This answer sounded a bit perfunctory, and Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything else. Yuan Ye didn't want to provoke him. He cherished the harmonious state they were in now, and he kept quiet.

\n\n

After spending over an hour chatting with the young boy outside about relationships, and coming back to say "no, I don't want to chat", this was a real blow to this man of over thirty years.

\n\n

Suddenly, Yuan Ye felt the bed covers lift on one side, but before he could react, he was pinned down by Fang Shaoyi. He was completely enveloped in Fang Shaoyi's embrace, with no room to move.

\n\n

Despite the unexpected situation, Yuan Ye remained calm and spoke softly, "What are you doing..."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pinched his chin and breathed heavily on Yuan Ye's face, asking in a deep voice, "Are you lacking love?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow in the darkness.

\n\n

"What do you want to talk about?" Fang Shaoyi's fingers tightened around Yuan Ye's chin, causing him pain. "I'm listening."

\n\n

"Let's just finish recording the program without any trouble," said Yuan Ye, frowning.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sneered, "Then who do you want to cause trouble with?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye wasn't someone with a good temper either, and he had been holding back his anger for a while now. He pushed away Fang Shaoyi's hand that was trying to pinch his chin, and with a slap, he turned on the bedside lamp, illuminating the room.

\n\n

The sudden brightness was uncomfortable for their eyes, and Yuan Ye squinted at Fang Shaoyi, asking, "What do you want to do?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't bother to say anything more to him. He didn't want to see Yuan Ye's frowning and glaring expression anymore, so he closed his eyes and suddenly lowered his head.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi bit down on his lip, Yuan Ye's mind quickly reacted. He lifted his hand, intending to push him away, but in the end, he didn't move and let him bite. His chest heaved violently, and he was angry. Fang Shaoyi vented his frustration by ravaging Yuan Ye's mouth until the sweet and bloody taste filled their mouths.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Fang Shaoyi for several seconds before bursting out laughing with a hint of mockery on his face. He asked, "Do you want to f*ck me? If you do, just say it. We've known each other for so many years, and I can't just stop you."

\n\n

"I don't think it's me who lacks love, it's you," Yuan Ye continued to say.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't want to hear him speak, so he pressed his hand over his mouth and bit down on Yuan Ye's Adam's apple. Yuan Ye's mouth was very powerful. When he wanted to stab you in the heart, one sentence could poke a hundred holes in it, each one bleeding.

\n\n

Both of their emotions were stirred up, and they both felt helpless towards the person in front of them. They saw each other every day, and they were both holding back a strong urge. Now, that urge had been ignited by the other person.

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't calm down even when Fang Shaoyi covered his mouth. He opened his mouth and bit down on a small piece of flesh in Fang Shaoyi's hand, refusing to let go.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi winced as he was bitten, but he didn't let go. When his other hand touched Yuan Ye's pants, Fang Shaoyi paused for a moment before letting out a faint laugh. The look in his eyes made Yuan Ye feel like he had been slapped in the face, ringing in his ears.

\n\n

If he didn't react after being bitten like this, then he wouldn't be human. His reaction was right in front of Fang Shaoyi, making Yuan Ye feel cheap. He could control his brain, but not his lower body.

\n\n

This was Fang Shaoyi after all.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was red-eyed and panting heavily, still biting down on Fang Shaoyi's hand until it drew blood.

\n\n

......

\n\n

It was a chaotic night, full of unexpected events. Without exchanging a word, they had accomplished a lot. They couldn't even remember how it all started. Their thoughts were defeated by desire, and everything returned to primal instincts.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lay silent and collapsed, his face staring at the ceiling, unsure of what emotions he should be feeling.

\n\n

He grimaced silently and cursed under his breath.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi emerged from the bathroom with a pack of wet wipes. Yuan Ye walked barefoot to his coat pocket, took out a cigarette, and lit it. His lip was still sore from earlier. He walked over to Fang Shaoyi, hugged him from behind, and rested his arm around Fang Shaoyi's neck.

\n\n

The cigarette dangled from his lips, and a thin wisp of smoke drifted past Fang Shaoyi's eyes. Yuan Ye chuckled softly, his voice hoarse and nasal, and asked Fang Shaoyi in a low voice, "How dare you?"

\n\n

Actually, it wasn't appropriate for Yuan Ye to ask Fang Shaoyi this question. If Yuan Ye really didn't want to do it, Fang Shaoyi wouldn't force him. And if he really wanted to push him away, Fang Shaoyi also couldn't hold him down.

\n\n

It was all just a mess between the two of them. Yuan Ye's chest was against Fang Shaoyi's back, and his arm slipped down to touch Fang Shaoyi's chest muscles. Then he laughed and took a drag of his cigarette, saying, "Brother Yi, we're both a bunch of bastards."

\n\n

In the end, they weren't able to finish recording this episode amicably.

\n\n

Yuan Ye never went easy on himself, and he bit down hard on the spot where Fang Shaoyi had bitten him before, reopening the wound even wider. Then he bit down again, completely tearing apart that area.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked up and saw his mouth, frowned fiercely and told him, "Stop messing around."

\n\n

With a smile on his face, Yuan Ye asked, "Why not? What do you mean?"

\n\n

It was on that day, in front of the camera, when Chi Xing asked him what was wrong with his mouth, Yuan Ye pointed to Fang Shaoyi and said, "He bit me."

\n\n

Chi Xing laughed and said, "No tooth can bite that big. Is it an ulcer, Brother Yuan Ye?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded absentmindedly and said, "I don't know if I said something bad about someone without realizing it. My mouth is sore."

\n\n

Chi Xing suggested, "Then you should take some vitamins."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and said with a smile, "No, I just want to eat meat. How can I come to Australia and not eat beef?"

\n\n

Even though Yuan Ye could keep a smiling face in front of the camera, his face would drop and his eyes would become cold and distant when the camera was off. Anyone could tell that he was in a bad mood.

\n\n

They got off the car in the Melbourne wilderness and asked their director about their afternoon task.

\n\n

The director was looking down at his phone and seemed not to have heard them.

\n\n

Throughout the trip, this person had been acting more like a VIP than them, unable to give orders or answer questions.

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and asked again, "I'm asking you what we're filming this afternoon. Little brother, is your hearing impaired?"

\n\n

The assistant director looked up and gave him a glance, saying, "We'll let you know what we're filming when the time comes, Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

He deliberately emphasized the words "Yuan-laoshi" with some emotion.

\n\n

Yuan Ye remained expressionless and asked him, "Do you have a problem with me? Do I look unpleasant to you?"

\n\n

"Of course not," the director said, "our status is different, how would I dare."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't feel like talking to him anymore. He didn't have the energy to argue with him and simply said, "If you have any opinions, speak up. If not, just keep quiet. Do the job that corresponds to your position. You're a director now, so be professional."

\n\n

The other person looked up at Yuan Ye but didn't say anything. Yuan Ye turned and walked away.

\n\n

For the next two days, the director settled down more, at least not acting like a deaf person. In reality, he just didn't take Yuan Ye seriously and came with his own biases.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't have the mood to pay him any more attention. He could be whatever he wanted to be, and never spared thoughts to care about an irrelevant person.

\n\n

On the last night of the show, everyone had a dinner together and drank some wine, which made the atmosphere quite emotional. Someone asked Yuan Ye how he felt about recording a variety show for the first time, and Yuan Ye just smiled and waved his hand without saying anything.

\n\n

The program was already at its end, and after tonight, they would fly back home and go their separate ways. If it weren't for the argument and accident the night before, he and Fang Shaoyi might still have some things to say to each other, at least they could have said goodbye properly.

\n\n

But after the inexplicable explosion, all sorts of emotions were jumbled up in his mind, and he couldn't say anything properly anymore.

\n\n

This play, performed by a pair of ex-lovers or divorced partners, was finally coming to an end.

\n\n

The author has something to say:

\n\n

Yuan Ye: Uncle Ye has been jumping on roof beams since he was a child without ever being tripped up. It's not so easy for you guys to trip me up.

\n","published_time":"2023-08-14T01:04:51.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":300,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":20,"chapter_title":"Chapter 20","content":"

Before accepting this program, Yuan Ye didn't think too much about it. He just saw it as a task to complete and be done with. But after recording it, he realized that it had some impact on his life. For example, he is now recognized by people more often and he doesn't have the same freedom as before when he went out.

\n\n

Yuan Ye used to be a free man. Walking down the street, not many knew who he was. But now that the program has aired, with many youths watching it, and being recognized outside makes him feel a bit uncomfortable.

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However, this is only temporary. Once the program is finished airing, he will no longer be in the public eye, and in a few months, everything will calm down. So, Yuan Ye doesn't take it too seriously.

\n\n

Old Tu had a bar, and Yuan Ye sat at the counter chatting with him. He didn't drink much, but snacked on a small basket of pistachios, cracking them open and munching away. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuan Ye noticed two young girls who had been watching him for a while, whispering to each other but too shy to approach.

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Old Tu tilted his chin in their direction and chuckled, "Looks like you have some fans."

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"I don't have fans," Yuan Ye popped a pistachio into his mouth and said, "Just viewers. I'm on TV now, after all."

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"Indeed. My girl always watches you on Friday nights," Old Tu signaled to the bartender for two bottles of black beer and handed one to Yuan Ye.

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Yuan Ye took a sip and looked at the girl singing on the small stage. She looked quite young and sang well. Yuan Ye said, "She has a great voice."

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"It's true, I also enjoy listening to her sing," said Old Tu.

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Yuan Ye glanced at him and laughed, "Didn't you used to like rock music? The kind that's ear-shattering."

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"I'm getting old, getting old," Old Tu also laughed, shook his head and said, "Now I also like to listen to something gentle, it feels soothing to the heart."

\n\n

The show recording has been finished for over half a month, and this is the first time Yuan Ye has come to Old Tu's place to drink. Before that, he went to the station for an interview and hasn't been out much since he came back. He plans to stay indoors until the hype of the show dies down.

\n\n

The young girls only come up to him for a greeting and a photo because they like him, and Yuan Ye doesn't have the heart to refuse them. He always cooperates with them, but he doesn't like it and isn't used to it.

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This kind of life is not suitable for him, no matter how long it lasts.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't plan on drinking today, he just wanted to come out and take a breather. He grabbed a jacket on his way out, a thin, green down jacket, and put on a pair of jeans. He didn't even bother to shave, leaving a thin layer of stubble on his chin. Sitting here, he looks like a handsome uncle with a unique charm.

\n\n

The little girl on stage sang all night, earning five hundred yuan after singing continuously for four hours. When Old Tu was being busy, Yuan Ye would listen to her singing. Her voice was very clean, with a hint of huskiness, and it was quite enjoyable to listen to.

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Someone sat down next to him and leaned on the bar, watching him. Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and looked over. The person pushed their phone forward, showing a WeChat QR code. Yuan Ye smiled and shook his head. When you're out having fun, if you reject someone directly, they won't bother you anymore. It's a matter of mutual consent. If you're not willing, the other person will just shrug their shoulders, retrieve their phone and leave.

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When Old Tu came back, he teased him, "Are you done already? After your last one, you don't even dare to date randomly anymore."

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Yuan Ye lowered his eyes and peeled the fruit, saying, "I've never done that kind of thing."

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He had never made plans to appear on the show, he wasn't that kind of person. On the surface, Yuan Ye seemed carefree and would occasionally crack a joke, giving off the impression that he was quite promiscuous. However, deep down, he was quite conservative in this regard and couldn't accept doing it without any emotional attachment.

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Old Tu clinked bottles with him, took a sip of beer, and asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

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Yuan Ye chuckled, "What plans could I have? Same as before, I guess."

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Old Tu nodded and didn't ask any further, knowing that even if he did, Yuan Ye wouldn't say anything.

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After returning home from Old Tu's place, Yuan Ye received a message from Ji Xiaotao, asking him in a voice message, "Brother Ye, did that idiot offend you?"

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Followed by another message, "Where did this little punk come from, acting like he's all that."

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Yuan Ye was confused by his message and replied with a question mark.

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Ji Xiaotao said, "In the last episode with your group, he said you educated him? What is his apology for! Apologise my ass."

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Yuan Ye: Ah.

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Ji Xiaotao: "What's happened, Brother Ye?"

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Yuan Ye replied with a voice message after finishing his shower: "Nothing much, he just had a sour face and I didn't feel like looking at him. He reported me? Let him be."

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Ji Xiaotao exploded, "Let him be? That's too bad. Does he think our family has no one?"

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Yuan Ye didn't even know what was going on. Even if he did, he couldn't solve it. He even had to ask Ji Xiaotao to help him with his Weibo.

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Yuan Ye couldn't handle that kind of thing. He always spoke carelessly. It was one thing if he got scolded, but since he was related to Fang Shaoyi, it would affect him too.

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Yuan Ye said to Ji Xiaotao, "I don't understand these things. You figure it out, I'll just make things worse."

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Ji Xiaotao replied, "We don't need you! Go to sleep, Brother Ye!"

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Yuan Ye agreed, "Alright, I've troubled you, Xiaotao."

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"What are you even saying." Ji Xiaotao replied, holding a few pieces of herbal patches and sitting in Fang Shaoyi's room.

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Fang Shaoyi had gone to the director's office to study the script. The director's habit was to refine the script while filming. Often, he would finish revising the day before shooting and sometimes even make last-minute changes on set. After the actors finished rehearsing, they would immediately memorize their lines. This play was about to be completed, and Fang Shaoyi had two major scenes left. Once those were finished, they would wrap up filming.

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When Fang Shaoyi returned and saw that Ji Xiaotao was still there, he asked him, "Why aren't you sleeping? What are you doing sitting here?"

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Ji Xiaotao shook the herbal patches in his hand and said, "It's going to rain tomorrow, and I'm afraid your shoulder will hurt."

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Fang Shaoyi had old injuries in his shoulder and knee, and they would ache when the weather turned cold. It was inevitable in their line of work. Fang Shaoyi rarely acted in light-hearted films and usually had high demands for action scenes. He said, "Leave it, I'll put it on myself later."

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"It's okay, I'm not sleepy." While Fang Shaoyi was taking a shower, Ji Xiaotao stood at the door and told him about the stupid assistant director's Weibo drama.

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After Fang Shaoyi finished his shower, he said, "Let me see."

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Ji Xiaotao pulled up the Weibo for him to read, and Fang Shaoyi frowned after finishing it before throwing the phone back to him.

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The Weibo post was a long apology written by that man. He explained that during the last recording, he was suddenly assigned to a different team and was not familiar with the work. He had limited abilities and failed to communicate effectively, causing a lot of trouble for two of them. However, he was grateful for the guidance given by Yuan Ye-laoshi.

\n\n

Although he appeared respectful, he was actually trying to gain sympathy. The young man was called in at the last minute to fill a gap, and he had no prior experience. He even received a scolding from Yuan Ye. Initially, only a few thousand followers saw the post from a small director, but it caught the attention of the head director, Lin Wei, who gave him a like and commented, "Hang in there."

\n\n

The comments below were initially split between good and bad, with many following this thread and linking it to Lin Wei's previous actions. They were all mocking Yuan Ye, who had the least status in the entire program but was acting as the biggest VIP.

\n\n

However, things had only turned in their favour a litte, when Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi's fans joined in, and now most of them are cursing the assistant director for being a drama queen.

\n\n

On the other hand, there was also the detail of Yuan Ye silently helping others during the show. Yuan Ye was the one who understood how to play every task the best, and every time he would quietly help others off-camera.

\n\n

During the first episode when they were dividing up the housing, Yuan Ye had at least half a backpack worth of boxes that he didn't take out on purpose, and he intentionally gave the cabin to the two women. The boxes he found were more than just those. There were many moments like this, although they were all off-camera, the attentive audience would still notice the details.

\n\n

Pushing up on one side and pressing down on the other, in the end there weren't much waves.

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"Hang in there my ass. This show is really choking, how annoying," said Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi wiped his hair and said to him, "This is because he knows that Yuan Ye doesn't have any backing, and wanted to step on him to move up. There are eight people in this show, except for him, no one else can be offended."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao looked up at him and asked, "Then Brother Ye can be?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "After our divorce, he's just Yuan Ye. In this circle, there's no reason why he can't be offended."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao muttered under his breath, "That dog thing."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi finished wiping his hair and asked, "Did you have someone go over already?"

\n\n

"Yeah, it's almost done," Ji Xiaotao looked up at Fang Shaoyi's expression and tentatively asked, "Should I take care of it?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything, just made a sound of agreement.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi messaged Geng Jinwei, asking him to talk to the station about that Lin Wei who seemed to be causing trouble.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei replied, "I was just thinking the same thing."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei called him later and asked how much longer until the filming was finished, and they talked about some other things. Before hanging up, Fang Shaoyi said, "Tell them not to bring up Yuan Ye anymore."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei laughed and asked, "Why?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't answer, only saying, "Just talk to the producer and have him handle it. Don't look for drama from Yuan Ye anymore."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei continued to laugh and said, "I told you two not to break up from the beginning, but you both pretended in front of me and refused to f*cking listen. I think you're just trying to mess with me, why don't you just take the marriage certificate back. It's inevitable that he'll get criticized on this show. Didn't I tell you that before?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent and didn't say a word.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said, "Yuan Ye said that if the news of your divorce really breaks out, just push it onto him, as long as you're kept clean. He doesn't want to live a good live himself, and insists on f*cking struggling."

\n\n

As his shoulder began to ache, Fang Shaoyi stood up and looked out the window. It was indeed raining.

\n\n

He stood by the window, watching the raindrops hit the ground with force. He reached back and rubbed his sore joint. The pain wasn't severe, but it was persistent and uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the discomfort from his old injuries that made Fang Shaoyi feel restless, or maybe it was because he had just read some of the insults directed at Yuan Ye online.

\n\n

He should have listened to Geng Jinwei and rejected the program. He shouldn't have accepted it.

\n\n

Thinking of Yuan Ye also reminded him of the chaos that had occurred during their last encounter.

\n\n

Yuan Ye pressed against him and asked, "What gives you the right to do this?"

\n\n

In truth, they shouldn't have done that, but afterwards, Fang Shaoyi didn't have any regrets. He figured, what's done is done.

\n\n

The monkey had been wild for too long and didn't recognize people anymore. It needed to be cleaned up a little.

\n","published_time":"2023-08-21T21:30:43.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":307,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":21,"chapter_title":"Chapter 21","content":"

Over the years, Yuan Ye had never relied on his looks to get by, so he had never paid much attention to this aspect. In fact, he was the epitome of a rough and tough guy, always wearing simple clothes like jeans, sweatpants, T-shirts, and hoodies. He wouldn't even touch a dress shirt for formal occasions.

\n\n

But to his surprise, after the show aired, Yuan Ye gained a group of fans who were attracted to his appearance.

\n\n

Many young girls loved his type, and only those with a pretty face and a short buzz cut could pull it off. With a slight tilt of his thin eyelids and a hint of disdain and mockery in the corner of his mouth, he exuded a bad boy vibe, or rather, a bad uncle vibe. Others couldn't quite replicate the wild and rugged look of this bald-headed uncle, nor could they match his piercing gaze that seemed to see through everything.

\n\n

They just weren't sharp enough, so they weren't as alluring.

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In fact, Yuan Ye is just lazy. His hairstyle hasn't changed in years, not because he's trying to be cool or anything, but because he's been sporting the same look since he was five or six years old and has just gotten used to it.

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When he washes his face every day, he just splashes some water on his hair and that's it. He doesn't bother with styling or even using a hair dryer. It's just easy and comfortable.

\n\n

But being a fan of Yuan Ye is quite painful. Outside of the show, it's impossible to catch a glimpse of him. He doesn't do any endorsements or advertisements, and his Weibo account is only used for basic promotion. Other celebrities in the same position would be taking airport photos with fans, posting daily life updates, and giving their followers something to look at.

\n\n

But Yuan Ye is completely elusive, and forget about trying to meet him at the airport. It's just not going to happen. The new fans had nowhere to go, so they started commenting under the Weibo post: "Do we have any organized groups? Big brothers, please take me with you! I can do anything, I'm a professional level 100, 555555*."

\n\n

*T/N: 555555 is pronounced as 'wu', and is slang for a crying sound.

\n\n

The old fans replied below: "There are no organized groups, and even if there were, they would all be grown in the wild. The handful of us are all book fans. Just relax here and get used to it."

\n\n

Some old fans even chatted below, saying that they were like an freshwater had entered their old river, becoming more lively.

\n\n

After the show was recorded, Yuan Ye disappeared completely. Fans could only watch the show and the behind-the-scenes footage online. Many interviews were offered to him, but he declined them all. He didn't want to say too much and make mistakes, and he didn't like talking about himself.

\n\n

When he wanted to say something, he wrote it in his books. He liked to express himself through writing, not speaking. Now even Ji Xiaotao sometimes can't find him, it takes a long time for him to reply to a message.

\n\n

After talking with the station, Geng Jinwei found out that the program group doesn't have any new tricks for now. Actually, it was all just small pranks to increase the show's popularity, and Director Lin had some grievances in his heart, so he occasionally caused trouble. He had targeted Yuan Ye knowing he wouldn't say much. He wouldn't do anything more, and he wouldn't even dare to mention the divorce.

\n\n

If this matter were to be exposed, it would not benefit the program group in the slightest, and if they have no bottom line, who would want to work with them in the future?

\n\n

It took almost a week for Fang Shaoyi to finish filming the final scene, which was also the ending of the movie. The director and the screenwriter couldn't agree on the fate of Fang Shaoyi's character. The director wanted him to live, while the screenwriter wanted him to die in battle.

\n\n

As a result, the previous scenes were filmed along two different storylines with subtle differences. For this final scene, they had to shoot it from different angles and compare them during editing to decide on the final outcome.

\n\n

The movie is called "Wind Wanderer" and it tells the story of half the life of a jianghu hero. When he was young, he traveled the world with his sword, but later got involved in the conflicts of the jianghu and lost one eye over a cup of tea.

\n\n

Many years later, as war breaks out, the jianghu is no longer what it used to be. Personal grudges and national hatreds intertwine, and he was faced with choices: to live or to die, to choose the jianghu or the people?

\n\n

The final scene was the climax of the entire movie. Hundreds of extras were on set every day, and it took nearly three hours for Fang Shaoyi to apply his final makeup as a wounded character. With so many extras, it was difficult to control the scene, and even the explosion of the city wall failed once, taking at least three days to repair.

\n\n

Director Xin personally came down to direct and command the scene with a megaphone, but his voice was hoarse. The artificial rain continued to pour down on them. Fang Shaoyi's makeup had to be made very sticky and solid to prevent it from washing off.

\n\n

After the scene, it took him over an hour to remove his makeup and take a shower. This scene was too difficult to shoot, and the pressure was high for the props and explosion teams. If they didn't control the timing properly, they would have to redo the scene again.

\n\n

The director asked the cinematographer, "It's already three o'clock. Can we finish one more take before it gets dark?"

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The photography director shook his head and said, "It's no good after 4 o'clock. It takes at least 40 minutes for all the machines to start up, and there's not enough time."

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Director Xin frowned deeply, but there was nothing he could do. Filming was like this, sometimes smooth, sometimes not, and they had to endure it all. The director said, "We're done for today. Everyone go back and rest well. Let's try again tomorrow."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was waiting on the side, holding a coat. As soon as the director said they were done, he went over to help Fang Shaoyi put on his coat. His clothes were completely wet and he was already freezing.

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Fang Shaoyi waved his hand and said it was unnecessary.

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Ji Xiaotao said, "I think if they blow up the city wall one more time, it'll be ruined again. We'll have to wait another three days for it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took off his costume and went back to the makeup room shirtless. The props and blood on his clothes had dried up and couldn't be used again tomorrow. They had to use new ones every day. The team had made over ten sets of costumes and props, and it took two days to wear them out to look old. Nobody knew when they would finish shooting, and they had to keep making them.

\n\n

Several makeup assistants had to remove Fang Shaoyi's makeup before he could leave. When they removed the layers of blood and makeup from his face, it felt like sandpaper rubbing against his skin, which was very uncomfortable and damaging to his skin. The assistants were careful not to use too much force and gently rubbed his face.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sat up straight, maintaining good posture. There was someone rubbing on his face, and another squatting and rubbing his legs below, with several water basins on the ground. The process of putting on and taking off makeup took five hours a day, which was quite exhausting.

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Fang Shaoyi's voice was slightly hoarse as he said to them, "It's okay to rub harder, you'll finish work earlier if you finish removing the makeup earlier."

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One of the girls rubbing his face whispered, "I dare not rub too much, it's too damaging to the skin if I do it like this every day. Fang-laoshi, please take care of it when you go back too."

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Fang Shaoyi closed her eyes and responded with a soft "Mm," waiting for them to finish removing his makeup.

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Ji Xiaotao brought a small heater over to shine at Fang Shaoyi. There was no makeup room on the outdoor set, only tents that were the same temperature as outside, damp and cold.

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Fang Shaoyi was only wearing shorts, with the rest of his body exposed. It was not good for anyone to go through this kind of ordeal every day.

\n\n

Lately, Ji Xiaotao had been quiet. He knew that Fang Shaoyi was tired and didn't want to disturb his rest. But he couldn't resist taking a photo of Fang Shaoyi with his eyes closed, removing his makeup. After some hesitation, he decided to send it to Yuan Ye.

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Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes and looked at him, whispering, "Don't post it on Weibo."

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Ji Xiaotao nodded and replied, "I won't post it on Weibo, I sent it to Brother Ye."

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Fang Shaoyi frowned at him and said, "You're messing around."

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"I'm not messing around, I feel upset," Ji Xiaotao whispered.

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Recently, Yuan Ye has been in contact with him quite a bit, unlike the year before the program when they rarely spoke. Ji Xiaotao couldn't quite figure out what was going on between them. If these two never spoke again, he didn't want to get involved in the middle.

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However, after the program was filmed, Yuan Ye and him have been in constant contact. Yuan Ye's attitude hasn't been cold either, and they even joke around with each other. Ji Xiaotao feels like there might be a turning point.

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Then, Fang Shaoyi said to him, "Take it back."

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Ji Xiaotao tried to and said, "It's too late."

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Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything else, just frowned and closed his eyes.

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When Yuan Ye replied to him, it was half an hour later. Fang Shaoyi still hadn't finished, but he was almost done. He sat there with his eyes closed, looking like he was asleep.

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Yuan Ye asked, "What kind of movie is it?"

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"Last scene, still not done after a week," Ji Xiaotao replied.

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Yuan Ye: "Where's the makeup being done."

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Ji Xiaotao: "In the tent."

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After a few seconds, Yuan Ye replied: "F*ck."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao sent him a picture of a small heater and said, "I did my best, but this is all I could come up with."

\n\n

"Mm," Yuan Ye responded.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao didn't dare say more, afraid that Fang Shaoyi would disapprove. He didn't want to overdo it and ruin the effect. This was enough. Ji Xiaotao didn't reply anymore, unsure if what he did was right. He knew he shouldn't meddle in their relationship, but he was familiar with the two of them, so he took a chance.

\n\n

Later, Yuan Ye sent another message: "Can't you guys go back and do it? Have the makeup assistant come to your room to remove it."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao quickly replied, "Brother Yi said it's not convenient. Plus, those things are made of flour and oil. We have to take a car to go back, with these on we can't back."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes at some point and asked, "What did you say."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao replied, "Brother Ye asked why we don't go back to remove it."

\n\n

With many people around, Fang Shaoyi didn't say much and only told him, "Don't say nonsense."

\n\n

"Okay, I didn't say anything else," Ji Xiaotao said.

\n\n

The makeup assistant next to them looked up and smiled, whispering, "I also watched <In Time>. You and Yuan Ye-laoshi have a really good relationship. Is Yuan Ye Teacher not very easy to get along with?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "No, he's pretty good."

\n\n

That night, the director came to Fang Shaoyi's room and chatted with him for a while. Although Fang Shaoyi's contract had already expired, it was normal for filming to take longer than expected, and it was also a director he was familiar with, so it was nothing.

\n\n

Besides, Fang Shaoyi had previously taken some time off to record a variety show, which caused some trouble for the crew even though they rushed to finish the scenes.

\n\n

The director said to him, "You've worked hard. This scene is difficult to shoot."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and replied, "Everyone has worked hard. Good things come to those who struggle."

\n\n

The director then asked him with a smile, "Will there be any issues with your schedule after this? Did Old Jiang give you a hard time? Should Uncle give him a call?"

\n\n

Director Xin and Fang Shaoyi's father's relationship was like this. While he referred to him as 'Director' during filming, privately he called him "Uncle". Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, "No, don't worry about it. Take your time with the shoot. Director Jiang won't rush you."

\n\n

"If he does, just let me know and I'll talk to him," the director replied.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded with a smile and chatted briefly with the director before seeing him off.

\n\n

As soon as the director left, Ji Xiaotao jumped up from his chair and handed Fang Shaoyi his phone. "Bro! Brother Ye just called!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and looked down at his phone, which showed a missed call from Yuan Ye. The contact name was still saved as "Monkey", which now seemed a bit comical.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi put his phone aside and didn't plan on answering it. He figured Yuan Ye wouldn't call again. But to his surprise, the phone rang again after only ten minutes.

\n\n

It was still "Monkey".

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a bit surprised, but he pursed his lips and answered the call.

\n","published_time":"2023-08-27T23:52:51.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":314,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":22,"chapter_title":"Chapter 22","content":"

"Mm?"

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi answered the phone, his voice was so alluring. The deep tone lingered at the end, making anyone who heard it feel a little bit teased.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's voice came through the phone, and it was very quiet on the other end. He called out, "Brother Yi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi responded again and asked, "What's up?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao had a keen eye and lifted Fang Shaoyi's clothes to stick a patch on his shoulder. Then, he placed a warm pad on the outside of his clothes. After finishing, he gestured to Fang Shaoyi and went back to his room to sleep.

\n\n

Yuan Ye cleared his throat and said, "Nothing, just wanted to ask how you've been lately."

\n\n

It had been too long since they last spoke on the phone. The simple conversation they were having now felt familiar and intimate, despite the year that had passed between them. The warm light in the room made Fang Shaoyi's heart feel soft. His voice was deep and alluring as it came through the receiver, "I'm doing okay."

\n\n

He propped a pillow behind his back and leaned against the headboard, listening as Yuan Ye asked him, "It's pretty cold where you are, right? How's your shoulder?"

\n\n

"Mm, it's fine," Fang Shaoyi replied.

\n\n

There was no particular reason for Yuan Ye to make this call, except that he felt uneasy after seeing the photos posted by Ji Xiaotao. He decided to call and ask about it. After that, the two of them didn't have much to say. It had been too long since they last spoke on the phone, and they had forgotten what to talk about. Or maybe they just didn't know what to say to each other anymore.

\n\n

After a brief moment of silence, Fang Shaoyi spoke first and asked, "What are you doing?"

\n\n

His tone was gentle, almost tender. Yuan Ye absentmindedly scratched his phone with his finger and replied, "I'm writing something."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked again, "What are you writing?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "It's the same thing as before. I haven't written much lately, but I feel calm now, so I decided to pick it up again."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi let out a soft "Mm" and then both of them fell silent. For a long time, there was only the sound of their breathing on the phone, and later the sound of Yuan Ye typing on the keyboard.

\n\n

Surprisingly, neither of them mentioned hanging up. Fang Shaoyi held the phone up with his hand while Yuan Ye tilted his head and held it with his shoulder, not knowing what to do. It seemed like they had both forgotten about hanging up and just wanted to listen to each other's breathing.

\n\n

After a while, Yuan Ye lowered his voice and asked, "Are you asleep?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "No."

\n\n

Yuan Ye burst out laughing and said, "I thought you had fallen asleep. What time is it? Why aren't you sleeping? You don't have to film tomorrow?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and his Adam's apple moved slightly as he laughed and said, "I was reluctant to sleep."

\n\n

The sound of typing abruptly stopped, and there was a heavy silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Yuan Ye cleared his throat and called out, "Brother."

\n\n

"Mm?" came the response.

\n\n

There was a soft sound of sparks as Yuan Ye lit a cigarette and exhaled his first puff of smoke. With one hand holding his phone, he crouched in his chair and suddenly said, "...I'm sorry."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi, who had been closing his eyes, opened them and asked, "Why are you apologizing?"

\n\n

Maybe it was because the atmosphere tonight was too good, or maybe Fang Shaoyi was just too gentle, but Yuan Ye suddenly felt the urge to say it. Without holding back, he took another drag of his cigarette and said, "Why...I don't know, for many things, I guess."

\n\n

According to Fang Shaoyi's personality, he wouldn't continue asking after saying that, but today he asked again, "For example?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye crouched there, laughing softly. His laughter carried the timbre of a man who had weathered the years. "Like that mess we got into the other day. I couldn't keep my mouth shut."

\n\n

After that incident, there was still some awkwardness between the two of them. But now that Yuan Ye had brought it up, Fang Shaoyi said, "I don't blame you. It was my fault."

\n\n

"Ah, forget about it," Yuan Ye leaned forward and flicked his cigarette ash. "We're both pretty shameless for even talking about it after we've slept together."

\n\n

Today, Yuan Ye was unusually gentle. He didn't even seem like himself, but rather soft and without any sharp edges. He had shed his hard shell and become soft and pliable.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "You go to sleep, rest early. Take care of yourself, you're not young anymore, Brother Yi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "Okay."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and said softly, "So, I'm hanging up?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi also smiled, and his warm laughter came through the phone, "Hang up."

\n\n

Tonight's phone call was unexpected for both parties. Yuan Ye impulsively called after seeing a photo, and Fang Shaoyi's softened attitude made Yuan Ye lower his head again. One phone call allowed the two to talk calmly without any hostility or sarcasm. After the call ended, their hearts were filled with warmth.

\n\n

The next morning, Ji Xiaotao pushed open the door and found Fang Shaoyi still sleeping. He slapped the light switch and said, "Wake up, Brother."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brows and sat up, saying, "I got it."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao went to get his clothes, but couldn't resist his gossiping nature and asked while handing him the clothes, "What did Brother Ye say on the phone last night?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him, put on his pants, and went to the bathroom, "He asked why you've been so annoying lately."

\n\n

"..." Ji Xiaotao thought to himself, "You seem to be in a good mood this morning, full of energy."

\n\n

The scene had to be carefully crafted, and every detail of Fang Shaoyi's makeup was essential. He had to apply the flesh-colored makeup to his exposed skin before putting on his costume. One of his character's eyes was blind, and it was challenging to make it look realistic. Unlike TV dramas, movies require attention to every detail, and perfection is key.

\n\n

The final scene was a tragic one, regardless of whether the protagonist lived or died. It was a heartbreaking ending to a story of a nation in turmoil. Until the scene was filmed, Fang Shaoyi had to immerse himself in despair.

\n\n

The makeup process was also a time for him to prepare mentally. Once the makeup was applied, he transformed into his character and became fully immersed in the role. When he left the makeup room, he was no longer Fang Shaoyi but the half-blind wanderer from the movie.

\n\n

His movie needs no further introduction. The problem now is not with the actors' performance, but with the coordination and unpredictable situations at each point.

\n\n

When Geng Jinwei arrived, Fang Shaoyi was standing next to the director, watching the playback on the monitor. He had just taken a shot that didn't work out. The explosion effect was not ideal, and the city wall did not explode.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pointed to a young actor behind him in the camera and said, "Little Wei's expression is wrong. He started crying before I finished my lines."

\n\n

The young actor behind him said, "Something got into my eye, a small stone flew in. I thought I could tough it out."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi told him, "Next time, if this happens, just call for a cut. If the explosion hasn't happened yet, it's not a big deal. Don't force it and hurt your eyes."

\n\n

"Okay, Brother Shaoyi." The other person nodded repeatedly.

\n\n

Behind him, Ji Xiaotao called out to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother Geng is here."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned around and saw Geng Jinwei walking over with a youth. He shook hands with the director and greeted him with a smile, greeting him with a "Director Xin."

\n\n

The director pointed at him with a smile and said, "You're a busy man, huh?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei replied, "Not at all." He then gestured towards the youth next to him and said to the director, "I just signed this kid. He needs some polishing."

\n\n

The youth looked very good, with a well-proportioned figure and a clean, white face that exuded quality. He respectfully greeted the director with a "nice to meet you" and then nodded at Fang Shaoyi, saying "Brother Shaoyi, nice to meet you."

\n\n

The director smiled and praised him, "Not bad. If there's a chance, send him over to me for some polishing."

\n\n

The young man politely pursed his lips and said, "Thank you, director."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei didn't actually come to visit the set on purpose. He had gone to Guangdong and stopped by the set for a day on his way back. After greeting the director, Geng Jinwei talked to Fang Shaoyi and pointed to the young man standing on the side, saying, "I mentioned him to you before, bringing him here for you to take a look."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi only had one eye that he could use, the other was still blurry. He glanced over and nodded, saying, "He has good potential. I can't see much else, but you can decide this matter."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said, "I want you to take him under your wing for Director Jiang's film. He hasn't acted before, so guide him."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi acquiesced with a "Mm" and said, "You ask if there are any available roles left and discuss it with them first."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei is now in his forties, always wearing a white shirt and suit pants. Now that it's cold outside, he's wearing a coat, and his cold, hard face looks quite fierce, creating a sense of distance. But his status is evident, and he has built a significant position in the industry over the years. People who have met him before always come over to say hello.

\n\n

After talking about the newly signed artist, Geng Jinwei lit a cigarette and pulled Fang Shaoyi to the side, telling him, "There's that matter of yours. Let's talk about it now, you should have an idea in your mind."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and asked, "What's matter?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei replied, "Why are you asking me when you already know?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised his eyebrows and asked, "My divorce?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei nodded and said, "Yes, someone is looking for me. They want money."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked, "Who?"

\n\n

"It's just a small company starting out, not very influential. If they can't be squeeze you for money, they'll use your situation to stir up trouble," said Geng Jinwei.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What did you say?"

\n\n

"I ignored it," Geng Jinwei said, taking a drag of his cigarette and glancing at Fang Shaoyi. "Your situation can't be kept secret. I don't know where the news came from, but there's no privacy when you're alive. If everyone knows, there's nothing to be pressured about. It's meaningless. Who knows, one day it might explode, and there's more than one source of leaks."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything, lowered his head in silence, and then said, "If we can't keep it under wraps, let it be."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei furrowed his brow and said, "Your problem is like a knife hanging over my head. If I don't hide well, we'll both get cut. I've already talked to the PR department and prepared emergency plans. I'll show them to you later. But this isn't urgent. It's stable for now and won't explode in the short term. At least not before the program finishes airing. Let's talk about it later."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and said, "No one cheated and there's no negative news. I've divorced already, so that's that. People will gossip for a couple of days and then forget about it. It won't be a big deal. Let's just handle it calmly and peacefully. You know what I mean."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei laughed and turned his head to curse, "Not to pit Yuan Ye? You're really beating around the bush."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi repeated himself, saying, "Mm, he's an outsider to our circle, he doesn't understand these things, don't pit him."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still had the appearance of a worn-out hero, with little expression on his face. He spoke lightly about the matter, with only one main point - to handle public relations normally and not to take advantage of Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei chuckled and said, "You really are a hero, playing that whole 'heroic and tender' act, do you think I'm f*cking bored and have nothing to do."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi also laughed and didn't say anything more.

\n\n

In the afternoon, Geng Jinwei didn't leave. He had something to discuss with Fang Shaoyi and brought the newly signed artist to the set to watch Fang Shaoyi act. The artist's name was Yang Siran, who looked young but was actually 25 years old. Geng Jinwei told him, "Learn from him well. When he was your age, he was already a male actor recognised by Wei Hua."

\n\n

Yang Siran nodded and said, "Okay, President Geng."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao ran over, grinning and talking to Geng Jinwei, "Brother Geng, good to see you."

\n\n

"What's so good about me? I asked you to come back and help me with the new guys, but you pretended not to hear me," Geng Jinwei scolded him.

\n\n

"I can't teach others. My brother can't do without me," Ji Xiaotao said without feeling embarrassed, "My brother is getting old and can't handle it anymore."

\n\n

As Ji Xiaotao chatted with Geng Jinwei, a makeup assistant ran over and called out to him, "Brother Tao, someone has sent something for you to sign for."

\n\n

"What is it?" Ji Xiaotao turned back and gestured to Geng Jinwei, asking as he walked back.

\n\n

After the performance that day, Geng Jinwei had watched as Fang Shaoyi sat with an electric heater warming him up on each side. He closed his eyes and sat in his chair waiting for his makeup to be removed, putting on a grand display. Ji Xiaotao said it was all arranged by his "Brother Ye."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei looked for a while, then gave a snort of laughter and went out to smoke.

\n\n

Damn, they really know how to play, but who are they playing?

\n\n

They're just plain crazy.

\n","published_time":"2023-09-04T00:58:31.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":329,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":23,"chapter_title":"Chapter 23","content":"

The city walls were in ruins, riddled with holes and cracks. Fang Shaoyi stood with his sword at his side, behind him the last remaining soldiers of Dayao country. Ahead of him was the youngest general of the enemy, with a fierce army at his back. The rain poured down in torrents, mixing with the blood on the ground to form a muddy red mess.

\n\n

"Hero!" The enemy general held his horse's reins and lifted his chin, his voice booming from his diaphragm with the roughness of a warrior. "Your entire jianghu has surrendered to us. What are you still defending?"

\n\n

Once a proud and valiant knight, Fang Shaoyi was now covered in blood, with only one eye able to see. Despite his ragged appearance, he stood tall and composed, and replied calmly, "I am defending my city."

\n\n

"Your city?" The general laughed heartily, his laughter echoing for miles and startling the sparrows on the city walls. "Your king blinded you, yet you still defend his city. The people of the jianghu say you're foolish, but I never believed it. Now, it seems...never mind!"

\n\n

The general's horse shifted beneath him, causing him to sway slightly. He pointed his long sword at the hero, his eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty glint in the pouring rain. "I don't want to kill you."

\n\n

The torrential rain washed away the blood on the hero's face, revealing the once rotten and decaying wounds. Suddenly, he hooked up the corner of his mouth, and despite his ragged appearance, he smiled with a sharp and innocent joy, with his only remaining eye shining with the same fearless light as ten years ago.

\n\n

He exclaimed loudly, "If you don't kill me, then it'll be me killing the general. If you want to kill me, then do it, there's no need for too many words."

\n\n

Their eyes met, and only the general's eyes showed a hint of sorrow.

\n\n

The dilapidated city walls, the gray-faced soldiers, and the half-blind and half-disabled old hero were no match for the advancing army.

\n\n

However, the general dismounted his horse and walked towards him with a long sword in hand. The sound of his armor echoed with each step he took, and the rain poured down on his iron armor, creating a chaotic and intense sound that seemed to urge on the final battle.

\n\n

The soldiers behind the general moved in unison with him. They took a step when he did and stopped when he did.

\n\n

No words were necessary when it was time to fight. Everything that needed to be said had already been said. It was a silent battle, with each side making their moves until the general's sword was at the neck of the hero.

\n\n

Blood covered the hero's remaining good eye, but the general held his sword firmly and spoke loudly, despite being so close. "Hero," he said.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked up at him through the blood in his eyes.

\n\n

The general's eyes were calm, but his voice was powerful. "You and your fellow martial artists, good or bad, have all pledged allegiance to my king. The country has a ruler, but the jianghu has none. Isn't it better this way, with the world remaining the same and the jianghu still the same jianghu?"

\n\n

The hero slowly blinked his blood-soaked eyes, his smile pale and his breath weak. He didn't have enough strength to utter a complete sentence, but he managed to say, "What is the jianghu...what is the world...in this chaotic era, the jianghu is nothing but an illusion. I am not defending anyone's country or world, I am defending my own...half a lifetime's worth."

\n\n

With those words, he closed his eyes and saw the scene from ten years ago, when the jianghu was in chaos and both the righteous and the wicked were killing without mercy. At that time, the hero moved swiftly and saved a small, thin boy from under the hooves of a horse.

\n\n

He hid the boy behind a beam in the inn and smiled at him, saying, "It's chaotic outside, stay hidden and don't go out."

\n\n

The boy's face and lips were pale, but he nodded gently.

\n\n

The sound of armor echoed, an arm raised, and a long sword fell...

\n\n

The city walls behind them crumbled with a deafening roar, and a cloud of dust and smoke rose up. The general's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword as he looked down at the ground in front of him. Before his eyes, he saw the agile figure that had once leapt out of a window, and the pair of bold and unrestrained eyes that had looked back at him.

\n\n

Back then, the sky was bright and clear, but now the rain poured down like a curtain. The land was broken, and the people mourned. Smoke filled the air, and the remaining soldiers stood still, not moving.

\n\n

Suddenly, a loud "clack" sounded.

\n\n

The director stood up abruptly from his seat in front of the monitor. His eyes were also filled with a hint of redness. The cinematographer turned to look at the director and nodded, giving him a thumbs up. For a brief moment, the set was still, and everyone was still immersed in the scene. The atmosphere of tragedy and sorrow lingered, and none of the crew members moved.

\n\n

Then Fang Shaoyi stood up from the ground. The prop director finally turned off the switch, stopping the rain from pouring down on the actors' heads. Fang Shaoyi shouted from a distance, "Director, did this pass?"

\n\n

The director shouted back through the megaphone, "It's passed! Pass pass pass!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and walked over to the young actor playing the general in the scene. He hugged him with one arm and patted his shoulder, saying, "You have a bright future ahead of you."

\n\n

The young actor had graduated from film school two years ago and had only acted in TV dramas before this movie. He was a bit overwhelmed by Fang Shaoyi's praise and quickly replied, "Brother Shaoyi, you taught me so much during our scenes together."

\n\n

The long shot was over, but a few more shots needed to be added. The ending where the protagonist doesn't die was filmed a few days ago, stopping right before the hero and the general engage in combat. The ending was actually the same, but it's not revealed, leaving a little room for imagination. However, it's likely that this version will be used in the end, as without it, the impact won't be as great.

\n\n

After a few small shots were taken, the director came over and personally handed Fang Shaoyi a red cloth rope to celebrate the end of filming. He then turned to the crew and said, "Come, congratulate your Fang-laoshi for the wrap."

\n\n

Everyone around them congratulated Fang Shaoyi with smiles. Fang Shaoyi joked, "I don't know how to feel happy. I'm leaving and the real show is over. The rest of you can relax now."

\n\n

The director wanted to hug Fang Shaoyi, but Fang Shaoyi took a step back and stopped him with a smile, saying, "Don't, don't. Director, uncle!"

\n\n

"There's this stuff all over me," Fang Shaoyi said, feeling helpless and taking another step to the side. "If it gets stuck to you it'll be hard to wash off."

\n\n

"Come on, let's take a photo to mark the end of filming," the art director said.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and asked, "Do I have to take it like this? With this ghastly look?"

\n\n

"It's okay, come on!" Ji Xiaotao came over and draped a coat over Fang Shaoyi. "We are all like this when we finished filming, just take the photo."

\n\n

Director Xin laughed and called everyone over to take Fang Shaoyi's final photo. The picture was definitely unflattering, but Fang Shaoyi didn't mind. He stood confidently at the front and smiled openly.

\n\n

The cameraman had been filming this whole time, probably for use in behind-the-scenes footage. Fang Shaoyi smiled at the camera.

\n\n

This scene took over half a month to shoot, and normally they would have a backup, but it was too difficult to film and even the city wall was destroyed, so they couldn't do it. The director, screenwriter, cinematographer, and special effects team all gathered around the monitor and watched it twice to confirm there were no issues. With a wave of his hand, the director finally let Fang Shaoyi go.

\n\n

On that day, the makeup room was never empty as Fang Shaoyi had his makeup removed. After spending a few months together on the same set, both the actors and crew had developed a bond and came to say goodbye. Some of the makeup assistants who had been helping Fang Shaoyi with his makeup and removal every day were in tears.

\n\n

Despite his high status, Fang Shaoyi was easy to talk to and never made things difficult for anyone. Fang Shaoyi sat in a chair, removing his makeup while chatting with someone. The dressing room was small, and the electric heater took up a lot of space. Later, Fang Shaoyi asked Ji Xiaotao to put it away.

\n\n

Several young actors came over to bid farewell to Fang Shaoyi and gave him flowers. Fang Shaoyi said to them, "You are almost finished filming too. Use the remaining time to learn from the director. Director Xin's films are very powerful."

\n\n

The young actors all said, "We have learned a lot from you too."

\n\n

"That's good," Fang Shaoyi smiled and said, "When I was young, I wasn't as good as you guys. Keep up the good work."

\n\n

The young actors all smiled and shook their heads, not daring to respond to his words. Some people were born to do this job, and they had both talent and courage. He stood at the forefront as a benchmark. If you want to reach a certain height, you have to work to a certain level. When you're lost, just look up at him.

\n\n

Normally, after finishing a film, there would be a break to relax and adjust emotions and physical condition. But for Fang Shaoyi, the two films were scheduled too close together, and the director on this side was pressed for time. The director on the other side had already started filming for a while, but the male lead had not yet arrived.

\n\n

Time did not allow for Fang Shaoyi to take a break. He had to quickly move to the other set and adjust his state of mind, jumping out of one film and immersing himself in another.

\n\n

In the upcoming play, Fang Shaoyi plays a handsome young man, but with a not-so-great brain. He arrives at a bizarre and absurd small town, where he is constantly bullied and ostracized. It's a movie with a touch of dark humor, which is Director Jiang's signature style.

\n\n

This play has been in preparation for almost two years, with changes in the main cast and crew, but Fang Shaoyi's role was set in stone from the beginning, as Director Jiang specifically requested him for the part.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had worked with Director Jiang before, but that was seven or eight years ago. Jiang Linchuan has always enjoyed filming things that are a bit absurd, and working with him can be challenging for both actors and other crew members. It's difficult to reach a consensus with him because his ideas are always unique and sometimes even eerie.

\n\n

The filming location this time was a small town in the south. Before leaving, Ji Xiaotao asked Fang Shaoyi, "Brother, shall we not bring the electric heater? It's difficult to carry."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and nodded after a while, "Mm."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao brought it over to the director and placed it next to him. The director smiled and said, "Take it away, I don't need it."

\n\n

"You can use it, we can't take it with us, it's too difficult to carry," Ji Xiaotao also said with a smile.

\n\n

Before leaving, Fang Shaoyi said goodbye to the director and his team, then headed straight to the airport with Ji Xiaotao. Unlike some big stars who bring their own entourage wherever they go, Fang Shaoyi only brings Ji Xiaotao with him when he goes to film. The rest of the arrangements are left to the production team. This is similar to his father, as Fang Shaoyi shares many similarities with him in terms of appearance and personality.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi arrived, Director Jiang was filming a scene and two actors and the assistant director had gone to the airport to pick up someone. Ji Xiaotao went to the hotel to drop off their things while Fang Shaoyi went straight to meet the director.

\n\n

The scene being filmed was about a blacksmith and his wife in a small town, and Fang Shaoyi had worked together with both actors before. When Director Jiang saw him, he raised his eyebrows and waved him over. It wasn't until the scene was finished and the director shouted "cut" that Director Jiang stood up and patted Fang Shaoyi on the shoulder, saying to the people around him, "Come come come, our male lead is here."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan was a typical northerner with a loud voice and a rough and straightforward personality. Fang Shaoyi shook hands with everyone in turn and finally said to the director, "Sorry, Director, I'm behind schedule."

\n\n

The director waved his hand and said, "You're filming Old Xin's film, do you think I would dare say anything?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and said, "You can say whatever you want. Director Xin isn't here now, so I definitely won't complain to him."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan laughed mischievously and said to Fang Shaoyi, "There's plenty of scenes waiting for you, just hold on tight."

\n\n

The actor playing the blacksmith walked over and smiled, "The director has been holding back to mess with you for days."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his hand and greeted him as "Brother Lin."

\n\n

"You guys are making me a little nervous," Fang Shaoyi asked with a smile, "How is the director going to mess with me?"

\n\n

"You'll find out soon enough," said the nearby cameraman.

\n\n

On the first day of his arrival, there was a meeting held in the evening with all the actors and directors of each group. The director suggested not rushing to film the male lead's scenes as Fang Shaoyi had just finished filming the previous part and his character had not fully transitioned yet. It would be better to start with the supporting scenes.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi would spend a month on set to immerse himself in the character and work on his physique. Currently, he was still a bit thinner compared to how his character should be, thanks to his previous role where he played a defeated hero.

\n\n

The director asked, "Do you have a preferred fitness coach? If not, I can arrange one for you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied, "Yes, I do."

\n\n

"Call him over and have him join the team. You also need to learn how to style hair. You don't need to specially arrange for someone, our top stylist Liu has been waiting for you." The director held the rolled-up script and gestured towards Liu An, who was leaning back in a chair and smiled and waved at them.

\n\n

Liu An was a top stylist in the industry, responsible for many of the elegant and tasteful period drama styles. Fang Shaoyi had met him many times before and they were old acquaintances. He smiled and said, "Great, I'll be troubling Brother An."

\n\n

For this meeting, the director had specifically asked for Fang Shaoyi's assistant to come along. Ji Xiaotao sat on a small stool behind Fang Shaoyi, listening in on the conversation.

\n\n

Later, the director pointed the script roll towards him and said, "Kid, from today on, you're not his assistant anymore."

\n\n

As Ji Xiaotao listened to the director's words, he was filled with confusion and countless question marks.

\n\n

"It's not just you," the director scanned the group with his eyes and continued, "none of you should be fawning over him from today onwards. He's not some Fang-laoshi, or some famous actor, or anyone's son."

\n\n

Before the director could finish his sentence, Fang Shaoyi burst out laughing. Director Jiang loved to joke around and had a great sense of humor. Fang Shaoyi listened as he continued, "He's just a fool with a pair of scissors, don't coddle him. I'm not joking, anyone who fawns over him will be breaking the rules. Don't make me angry, you all know how scary I can be when I'm angry."

\n\n

In the play, Fang Shaoyi played the role of a foolish boy who was often teased and bullied. Director Jiang wanted him to quickly get into character and connect with his role on a deeper level, to truly become one with the character.

\n\n

The director had a serious expression as he spoke to those around him, "I set the rules and they must be followed. Don't shout at him on set like you're acting some drama, then come crawling back and say 'Fang-laoshi, I had no choice. Please don't hold a grudge.' If anyone dares to act like this behind my back, don't make me angry."

\n\n

Everyone laughed after he finished speaking. The director continued, "He definitely won't hold a grudge. This is all to help him make the movie. He'll have to thank you all later."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and smiled, "Yes, I won't hold a grudge. Just do as the director says."

\n\n

As they were leaving after the meeting that day, the director took a moment to speak to Ji Xiaotao. He emphasized, "You need to keep him in line. If anyone bullies him, don't let him bear the brunt of it. Have you forgotten how he's always bossed you around? Take this opportunity to make him your assistant and have him work for you."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao shrunk his neck, feeling that this task was really difficult to complete. He asked, "Director... what if we both get bullied together? Like brothers in hardship? Do you think that would work?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and gave him a push on the back of his head, saying, "Can't you have a little bit of ambition?"

\n\n

The director also gave him a couple of pats and said, "That's right, can't you have some ambition?"

\n\n

"I can't..." Ji Xiaotao still had his duckbill cap on and his hand was holding onto the brim as he whispered, "I just can't do it. I can't complete it from the bottom of my heart! Director, just let others bully me along with them!"

\n\n

The director was frustrated with his lack of determination and eventually kicked him in the butt, laughing as he scolded, "Look at this little bastard, he's so honest!"

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan had a bad temper and would often lose his cool on set. Since the crew was all part of his team, they had to listen to whatever he said. In the following days, no one spoke to Fang Shaoyi and even the polite nods and greetings of "Fang-laoshi" disappeared. As directed by the director, not only were they not allowed to greet him, they also had to find tasks for him to do.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's daily routine on set consisted of working out and doing odd jobs. At first, people were hesitant to give him orders, but eventually they got used to it and treated him like a laborer. Fang Shaoyi was easy-going and would do whatever he was told, adapting quickly to any situation.

\n\n

"Your grip is too tight," Liu An moved his fingers and the scissors in his hand spun around before closing and hanging from his finger. "Be more flexible. When you have free time, hold a pair of scissors and practice. Try to keep something in your hand as much as possible. And you don't hold a comb like that."

\n\n

"Okay," Fang Shaoyi agreed.

\n\n

Someone called out to him from behind, "Sen Cha, can you help me call Assistant Brother Lin?"

\n\n

"Sen Cha" was Fang Shaoyi's character name in the drama. He was currently learning how to cut hair with Liu An. He turned around and said, "Can someone else do it? I can't leave right now."

\n\n

The other person shook their head, "No."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sometimes admired the staff on set. They got into character so quickly. He turned back to Liu An and said, "Brother An, can you wait for me for ten minutes?"

\n\n

Liu An smiled and shook his head. "I'll leave in ten minutes."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked around and then said to the stagehand, "Get someone else. I can't leave right now."

\n\n

The stagehand blinked, probably unsure of what to say at a time like this. After thinking for a while, Fang Shaoyi and Liu An continued talking, and the stagehand casually picked up something and threw it onto the makeup table, muttering, "What's he acting for... just someone who cuts hair..."

\n\n

The sound of the object hitting the table was a bit loud, and both Fang Shaoyi and Liu An were startled. Afterwards, Liu An shook his head and laughed, whispering, "...Poor kid."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao had chosen to join Fang Shaoyi in a united front, and these days he was exhausted. At night, he complained to Fang Shaoyi, "Is this even worth it? I think Director Jiang is intentionally making things difficult for us because we arrived late."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took off his clothes and threw them into the washing machine. When Ji Xiaotao came over to take them, Fang Shaoyi said, "I'll do it."

\n\n

He even washed Ji Xiaotao's dirty clothes together with his own.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao still wasn't used to this. His phone vibrated in his pocket, so he sat in a chair on the side and checked his phone.

\n\n

The film set was like a world isolated from reality. Once you stepped onto the set, it felt like a barrier separated you from the outside world. When filming his previous project, Fang Shaoyi often went out to record variety shows, so he didn't feel as isolated.

\n\n

But this time, there were no variety shows to record, and both he and Ji Xiaotao were being deliberately excluded on the set. Time seemed to fly by, and only when they picked up their phones did they realize they were back in reality.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took out the clothes he planned to wear the next day and was about to sit down when he heard Ji Xiaotao exclaim, "What the f*ck!"

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Fang Shaoyi asked, looking at him.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao furrowed his brows and looked up at him, saying, "What the hell is this trending topic?!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and asked, "What topic?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao jumped off his chair and handed him the phone. Fang Shaoyi glanced at it and saw that the top trending topic was a deep red "explosive" symbol, followed by the tag #FangShaoyiYuanYeDivorce#.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached into his coat pocket and took out his own phone, only to see that ten minutes ago, Geng Jinwei had called him twice. As he dialed back, he clicked on the tag.

\n\n

"Giving you something juicy! That cute 'handsome cp' couple you all love so much? They split up a long time ago." The first post on the trending page was from a small marketing account, with a few pictures attached. Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brow as he looked at the photo, which seemed to have been taken on the day of his divorce last year.

\n\n

It was taken from a distance and not very clear, but it was definitely his car, and the two figures looked a lot like Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye.

\n\n

The comments below had already exceeded 30,000 in just half an hour. Fang Shaoyi quickly scanned through the top few hot comments.

\n\n

"The picture is so blurry, and the person in it looks like they're only 175cm tall. Fang Shaoyi is actually over 184cm tall in real life, so the picture is obviously fake."

\n\n

"True. They got divorced last year. My classmate's brother works at the civil affairs bureau in X city, and I found out the day they got divorced."

\n\n

"[Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn] Watching <In Time> made me feel like they were always at odds with each other. People even say that I don't wish them well. But I really do hope that they're doing well. I don't really want to eat this popcorn, I hope no one forces it down my throat. It's really frustrating..."

\n\n

"Ah, those annoying marketing accounts! They never stop trying to boost their views and comments! And what's with that comment about your 'classmate's brother'? If you were really that talented, why didn't you say something earlier? I can't stand these 'classmate's brother's sister's' people!! Just go away!!"

\n\n

"We don't need trashy marketing accounts like you bothering us. Take your nonsense and leave us alone. One of them is busy filming, the other is busy writing. They don't have time for you. Have some dignity."

\n\n

"[Smiling] I can't wait to see what happens next. If it turns out they got divorced just to buy a house, I'll die laughing..."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei's phone was busy and he couldn't get through.

\n\n

This came as a bit of a surprise, even to Fang Shaoyi, who hadn't expected it to happen now. But when you think about it, it's about time. The show has just two episodes left to air, and the CP has gained enough popularity. It's the perfect time for it to catch fire.

\n\n

Once the show is over, everyone will be scrambling to be the first to break the news, so someone is bound to jump the gun. The effect is indeed impressive, as the marketing account quickly gained 200,000 followers in just over half an hour.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi called Geng Jinwei and threw Ji Xiaotao's phone back to him. "Chat with your Brother Ye and ask him what he's up to."

\n\n

"Okay!" Ji Xiaotao messaged Yuan Ye and asked if he was busy.

\n\n

Yuan Ye quickly replied, "Not busy, what's up?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao didn't dare to say it directly, so he thought for a while and sent a message: "Brother Ye, do you want to come visit?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied: "...Not for now."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei called and he answered, asking directly, "Did you see it?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi responded with a sound.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said, "I couldn't reach you earlier, and I haven't taken any action yet. Don't worry, the current hype is all fake. I've talked to the big companies, and they won't turn on us for now. The mainstream media is also following suit. He can't come up with anything on his own, and the current comments are all bought. If there's nothing else later, he won't be able to turn the tables with just this one photo.

\n\n

"I want to ask you, what's your plan? I see that you and Yuan Ye haven't completely cut ties. If you still have feelings for each other, we can deny the rumors and release a statement. This kind of thing can even be photoshopped on a divorce certificate, so there's no real evidence.

\n\n

"But if you don't want to continue, we can cut it off cleanly this time, which will save us some trouble. Or if you haven't decided yet, we can continue to suppress it this time. What do you think?" Geng Jinwei finished speaking in one breath, asking all the questions he had.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "Let's put it aside for tonight."

\n\n

"What about tomorrow?" Geng Jinwei asked.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood up and walked to the window, placing one hand on the windowsill and looking outside. He couldn't answer this question.

\n\n

Without waiting for him to speak, Geng Jinwei said, "Take your time to think about it. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

\n\n

After hanging up the phone, Ji Xiaotao looked up at Fang Shaoyi and whispered, "It seems that Brother Ye doesn't know about this. He didn't even mention it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still stood straight, looking out the window. He made a sound of agreement but didn't say anything else.

\n\n

Someone knocked on the door, and Ji Xiaotao went to open it. A young man stood at the door and said, "Brother Shaoyi, the director is calling for you."

\n\n

"Okay, thank you," said Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

It seemed like the rest of the crew had also seen the news, otherwise they would have called him "Sen Cha" instead of using his real name.

\n\n

The director called him over and spoke directly, "I heard about it, it's just a small matter. Don't let it affect you. If you need help, just say so."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan never cared about the media and always left public opinion behind. He didn't think this was a big deal. He told Fang Shaoyi, "No matter how you handle it, this small matter will blow over in a few days. Don't let it affect your emotions, stay calm."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied with a smile, "Thank you, director. I know I can handle it."

\n\n

The director called him over just to check on his emotions. Seeing that Fang Shaoyi was calm and collected, he didn't make a big deal out of it and let him go back.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi returned to his room, he saw Ji Xiaotao flipping between his phone and tablet. Upon hearing Fang Shaoyi's arrival, Ji Xiaotao turned to him and said, "The ratings for <In Time> tonight are definitely going to explode."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Did Yuan Ye call?"

\n\n

"No..." Ji Xiaotao shook his head, "I think he lost his internet connection again."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and went to the bathroom to wash his face. He seemed too calm, which made Ji Xiaotao less nervous than he was at the beginning.

\n\n

In truth, Fang Shaoyi wasn't too worried. This matter was bound to come out sooner or later, whether it was a few days or a few weeks from now. He was never afraid of it being exposed, but he truly didn't know how to respond. It wasn't because he was afraid of negative consequences, but because he couldn't make this decision himself.

\n\n

If he unilaterally issued a denial, then Yuan Ye was bound to him indefinitely, pretending to be a couple. This was unfair. But when it comes to the other option, Fang Shaoyi is still unwilling.

\n\n

This is also the reason why he has been keeping the divorce a secret until now.

\n\n

Since their last phone call, he and Yuan Ye haven't been in contact for a long time. Fang Shaoyi doesn't want to suppress this matter any longer. He has to choose one way or another.

\n\n

In the evening, Fang Shaoyi was as usual studying the script, pondering over the lines and characters, and circling the parts he felt were problematic. Meanwhile, Ji Xiaotao didn't return to his own room and instead squatted beside Fang Shaoyi, scrolling through his phone.

\n\n

The netizens were all waiting for more news, and while waiting they were watching the latest episode of <In Time>. This was their last recording before Australia, and after this week's broadcast, the final episode of the entire season would air next week.

\n\n

Before today, many viewers were reluctant to say goodbye, especially the fans of Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye. They don't usually share much sweetness with the public, and once the show is over, they disappear from sight. After this episode aired, fans were left craving for more of their sweetness. As a result, some fans have become anxious and started to investigate every detail of the show, compiling evidence to prove that the two have indeed divorced.

\n\n

The most compelling evidence is that throughout the entire show, they never wore wedding rings. Many people have gone to the show's official social media account to demand an explanation, asking if the show was deceiving the audience if the two really did get divorced.

\n\n

The chief director, Lin Wei, didn't say a word and just kept quiet, except for the program promotion. Ji Xiaotao watched <In Time> on his tablet and commented, "My Brother Ye is really handsome, but it's not just his looks. He has a unique charm that others don't possess."

\n\n

However, Fang Shaoyi ignored him and didn't even look up.

\n\n

"I was so scared during the skydiving scene," Ji Xiaotao continued to mutter, "Did you feel scared, Brother? Just watching it makes my heart stop. If it were me, my heart would have failed in mid-air."

\n\n

When the program showed Yuan Ye and the skydiving instructor tied together, Fang Shaoyi was asked, "This doesn't count as cheating, right?"

\n\n

The internet went into a frenzy over this one sentence, with everyone screenshotting it and asking if it meant that the couple had indeed divorced, and that it was because of Yuan Ye's infidelity. It's always like this - when you bring the result to the forefront, everything seems like evidence.

\n\n

Netizens now want to use a magnifying glass to scrutinize the show, to investigate every detail. Some want to disprove the divorce rumors and prove that it was just a marketing ploy. Others just want to watch the drama unfold, enjoying their popcorn without a care in the world.

\n\n

The show portrayed the skydiving scene beautifully, with the person falling from high up in the sky, piercing through the clouds. The wind blew their hair into a frenzy, almost standing on end, and their face contorted from the force. Among them, Yuan Ye was captured the best, as he had no hair to be blown around, and his image remained unchanged.

\n\n

As Yuan Ye plummeted, he laughed with satisfaction, feeling like everyone else was just putting on a show while he was truly enjoying the process of skydiving, as if he was having the time of his life.

\n\n

"My Brother Ye jumps so beautifully," said Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded, recalling the scene vividly. He had jumped right after Yuan Ye, not too far away, and had been watching Yuan Ye the whole time. At that moment, Fang Shaoyi thought that Yuan Ye must be having a blast, as he always loved trying out new and exciting things.

\n\n

All he could see at the time was white, a white world with only Yuan Ye in it.

\n\n

As soon as Yuan Ye landed, he immediately looked up to find Fang Shaoyi. He quietly pointed in his direction and grinned, a simple and refreshing smile. He continued to watch Fang Shaoyi, waiting for him to come down.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao watched in silence, then said to Fang Shaoyi after a while, "Brother... why don't you watch this show?"

\n\n

For some reason, Yuan Ye's simple smile just now made him feel a bit emotional. It was too simple, too clean.

\n\n

People online were also saying that with Uncle Ye's gaze and the simple gesture of pointing upwards, they didn't believe that they had divorced.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao leaned in towards Fang Shaoyi, pulled the script from his hand, placed the tablet between them, and rewound the video to the moment when Yuan Ye landed.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi watched the video, the first thing he noticed was not his action of testing his ears or separating from his equipment and coach upon landing. Instead, he looked up to find someone. When he found them, he smiled, reminiscent of his carefree teenage years.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's gaze on Yuan Ye in the video was gentle, soft, and warm.

\n\n

After Yuan Ye and his coach separated in the footage, he tugged at his ear and said, "I can't hear."

\n\n

His voice was a bit loud, as he couldn't hear himself and couldn't control the volume. The coach reassured him and communicated that it would take an hour, which Fang Shaoyi could understand from his lip movements.

\n\n

The camera cut to the other team's descent in the air, and it took several minutes before it returned to Fang Shaoyi's landing. After landing, he removed his equipment and walked towards Yuan Ye. The current perspective was filmed by the cameraman behind Fang Shaoyi, with Yuan Ye facing the camera.

\n\n

At that time, even Yuan Ye probably forgot that Fang Shaoyi couldn't hear him speak, nor could he hear himself, but that the microphone could hear them.

\n\n

The camera revealed everything to the audience, and even the little secret of Yuan Ye was exposed on the screen.

\n\n

In the footage, Yuan Ye smiled and leaned in to whisper in Fang Shaoyi's ear, saying, "Baby, I want to chase after you again."

\n\n

......

\n\n

As soon as Ji Xiaotao looked up at Fang Shaoyi, his eyes widened in surprise. Fang Shaoyi's gaze remained fixed on the screen, never lifting his eyes. The program added background music to this segment and the scene was made into a romantic pink color.

\n\n

The internet exploded with half of the people praising this as a divine love story, captivated by the rare tenderness in Yuan Ye. The other half pinched this sentence, saying that it proved that they had divorced, otherwise why would they pursue each other again? This is divorce!

\n\n

If there hadn't been the previous incident, this sentence would probably not have been interpreted in this way. But since there was talk of divorce before, this sentence became a talking point and was not easy to explain.

\n\n

"My god..." Ji Xiaotao spoke softly, feeling stimulated by his Brother Ye. He cautiously looked at Fang Shaoyi and said, "Brother Ye said he wants to chase after you again, Brother..."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent, watching the program until it ended.

\n\n

The next day, Yuan Ye's mouth was sore and his complexion was slightly off. No one knew the reason, but no one understood it better than Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

During the day, Yuan Ye had whispered something in his ear, and that night, Fang Shaoyi did something he shouldn't have done.

\n\n

...It was all too chaotic.

\n\n

Just five minutes after the program ended, Geng Jinwei called. Fang Shaoyi answered and Geng Jinwei immediately spoke, "I'm f*cking going to make you two play to death. What the f*ck is Yuan Ye saying on the show."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi thought about what Yuan Ye had said that day and repeated it with a smile, "Sweet nothings."

\n\n

"What's going on with you two? Are you getting back together?" Geng Jinwei sounded extremely irritable, probably fed up with the situation.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi continued to smile, "I don't know, he said he wants to pursue me, so I'll wait and see."

\n\n

"Then what should I do for tomorrow?" Geng Jinwei's voice was hoarse, "You've been living a peaceful life for over ten years, why start this now that you're older?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still smiled softly and said, "Brother Geng, you've worked hard."

\n\n

"I'm f*cking exhausted," Geng Jinwei replied.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi told him, "We'll make an announcement tomorrow."

\n\n

"What will it say?"

\n\n

"It will say we're not separated," Fang Shaoyi said.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei cursed and then said, "Okay."

\n\n

After hanging up the phone, Ji Xiaotao approached and asked, "Brother, are you and myBrother Ye good now?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "I don't know."

\n\n

"I just feel like you two should still be good. It was already crazy for you two to separate before, like you had nothing better to do..."

\n\n

Just now, Yuan Ye's words gave Ji Xiaotao courage, and now he dared to say anything. "Would you two be better off with someone else?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't speak, his face was calm, but the corners of his eyes and eyebrows were clearly soft, with a gentle curve.

\n\n

"So we'll be telling everyone that there wasn't a divorce, right?" Ji Xiaotao asked again.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded, "Mm."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was feeling a bit excited and didn't want to go back to sleep, so he lingered around Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi found him annoying and told him to go back, but Ji Xiaotao refused to leave.

\n\n

Before long, Geng Jinwei's call came again. Fang Shaoyi asked, "What's up?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei cursed as soon as he answered, "I'm so damn pissed off."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said, "I can't post the announcement anymore. Check it out online yourself. This f*cking wild monkey is not my artist, if he were, I would have skinned him alive. He's too good at causing trouble."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached for his phone and opened Weibo. The top few trending topics were all related to Yuan Ye.

\n\n

- #YuanYe#

\n\n

- #YuanYeChasesYouAgain#

\n\n

- #YuanYeResponds#

\n\n

"Alright, you two work on it and give me a final plan. Luckily I hadn't posted the announcement yet, if I had, it'll be a real spectacle for the New Year," said Geng Jinwei over the phone.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi clicked on one of the links and the first thing that popped up was Yuan Ye's Weibo.

\n\n

There was a picture of two rings lying on a book. They were clean, simple, and unadorned.

\n\n

"I heard someone wanted to expose my secrets, but it's useless. I'll do it myself. It's true that we divorced, but it was my decision. It's not worth exposing as it's just a small matter. When we were recording the show, I thought if I went deaf, the whole world had gone deaf with me. But it seems like I'm the only one who went deaf. Since I've said it, @Fang Shaoyi, what do you think? Can I chase after you again? If you say yes, I'll chase after you. If you say no, then I'll try again next year."

\n","published_time":"2023-09-11T08:48:56.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":337,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":24,"chapter_title":"Chapter 24","content":"

The hot search was almost dominated by Yuan Ye, and the entire Weibo was talking about it. As soon as the words "Yuan Ye" were searched, Weibo almost collapsed.

\n\n

After seeing that Weibo post, Ji Xiaotao also exploded and kept nagging in Fang Shaoyi's ear. Later, Fang Shaoyi pushed him out and told him to go back to his own room and stop bothering him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's Weibo post was reposted by Chi Xing, with the caption: "[laughing][laughing] Brother Yuan Ye is so cool, haha, hurry up and chase him! Are these two intentionally torturing us?"

\n\n

Cheng Xun followed his repost and said: "I support Brother Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Feng Leizi and the others who wrote things also joined in the fun and actively reposted it, making fun of him: "Uncle Ye is over thirty and still single."

\n\n

"Come and see how your Uncle Ye is being coquettish."

\n\n

"Brother Ye is steady."

\n\n

At this moment, any sensible person would not engage with Yuan Ye or interact with him. Because so far, there has been no response from Fang Shaoyi's side, and the outcome of Yuan Ye's Weibo post is uncertain. It could either pass unnoticed or completely backfire.

\n\n

If these two people had already fallen out and Fang Shaoyi did not respond to this matter, or even slapped him in the face, Yuan Ye would be directly pushed into the mud. To think one layer deeper, if it is later revealed that Yuan Ye had cheated or had other negative things exposed, those who reposted with him today would also be implicated.

\n\n

Others would at least have to wait for Fang Shaoyi's response before daring to speak up. Feng Leizi and his friends don't really care about the entertainment industry, they're more into Yuan Ye. So when Chi Xing and Cheng Xun spoke up so quickly, it was quite surprising. Don't they understand the complexities of this industry?

\n\n

That's not possible, even if they don't understand, their company does. Chi Xing and Cheng Xun have always been big fans of Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi, even on the show. Without hesitation, they quickly spoke up to help Yuan Ye set the tone and ease the sharp questioning and ridicule. They are two kids who value loyalty and friendship.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi wouldn't let Yuan Ye stay in the spotlight for too long, he quickly responded and directly turned the conversation to Yuan Ye with just one word: "Chase."

\n\n

As soon as he replied to the Weibo post, things got even more lively in the entertainment circle. All the artists were talking about the two playing around and abusing single dogs.

\n\n

After sending the message, Fang Shaoyi immediately called Yuan Ye, but the call didn't go through.

\n\n

Yuan Ye must have turned off his phone, considering the fact that he was probably bombarded with all sorts of messages and calls from people. Knowing Yuan Ye's personality, he would definitely get annoyed and just shut off his phone.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Geng Jinwei had already started taking action. He controlled the comments and guided the direction of the wind. When the entertainment news outlets reported on the incident, they focused on Fang Shaoyi's new movie promotion instead of the rumors about Yuan Ye's infidelity.

\n\n

With such a scandal, there was bound to be criticism online, but they tried to steer the conversation towards the movie promotion and minimize the impact of the negative comments.

\n\n

However, not all negative comments could be suppressed, and some other negative aspects were still being brought up.

\n\n

"PR666, you came up with a plan so quickly. They got divorced and went on a dating show, fooling their fans like idiots. Now that they've been exposed, they're having someone from outside the circle take the blame. They're playing around like a couple, I don't know if the audience this year is stupid or if the company's water army is too powerful."

\n\n

"XX station is as trashy as ever, with no bottom line. Did the production team not know about their divorce? They kept it hidden from the audience and now they're too scared to even mention it."

\n\n

"I always thought Yuan Ye was talented, and Fang has been following him all along. The term 'true personality' is a joke, it's all about true intentions. When he said that, Fang couldn't even respond. No one would openly slap him in the face, especially since Fang isn't the type to do so. Isn't he just forcing people to make up with him? I'll just say it straight - it's really despicable."

\n\n

"After having enough fun outside, he still wants to come back and act tough, selling this image of a cool and collected person. Ugh. [Husky][Husky]"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his Weibo account in frustration. There were many things worse than this, but he couldn't bear to see them and felt annoyed. He tried calling Yuan Ye again, but his phone was still off. It seemed like he wouldn't be able to reach him tonight. When Yuan Ye didn't want to be found, no one could find him. Fang Shaoyi didn't know how long he would be out of touch.

\n\n

Unexpectedly, Yuan Ye called back a few minutes later. Fang Shaoyi didn't know what emotion to use when he saw the "Monkey" caller ID.

\n\n

"Brother Yi," Yuan Ye called out as soon as the call connected.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice was heavy, "Speak."

\n\n

"Hahaha, why are you so awkward? Didn't you just tell me to chase after you?" Yuan Ye laughed shamelessly, "You're turning your back on me and not keeping your word."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was originally quite angry, but when he heard the sound of Yuan Ye's laughter, he couldn't stay mad and just felt helpless. He frowned and said, "Who told you to say that? Are you trying to provoke them?"

\n\n

"I'm just telling the truth," Yuan Ye laughed a couple more times before saying, "If they want to scold me, go ahead. I don't mind."

\n\n

"The truth?" Fang Shaoyi sneered and asked him, "That you were the one chasing after me? Or that you were the one who brought up the divorce?"

\n\n

"It's all the same," Yuan Ye said, "Whoever was chasing who, in the end, it doesn't matter. Whoever brought up divorce, in the end, we still...got divorced. So it doesn't matter. It was my fault, I was being melodramatic."

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi listened to Yuan Ye speak, he gradually stopped frowning. This was Yuan Ye, and only he would say such words. Fang Shaoyi was indeed angry after he saw that the Weibo post, but the anger came from Yuan Ye taking all the blame upon himself.

\n\n

The post had completely cleared Fang Shaoyi's name, regardless of the final outcome between them. If they ended up fine, if would be thanks to Yuan Ye's begging, and if they ended up breaking apart, it would be Yuan Ye's own fault. In people's hearts, Fang Shaoyi was still the dignified and gentle movie emperor.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's Weibo post seemed impulsive, but in reality, he had planned it all out better than anyone else. How could Fang Shaoyi be willing to let him take on all the blame? But Yuan Ye had taken the first step and put him in a passive position.

\n\n

But the impact that this Weibo had on Fang Shaoyi couldn't be expressed with just anger.

\n\n

His heart wasn't moved?

\n\n

How would that be possible?

\n\n

"Brother Yi, I've been thinking a lot lately." Yuan Ye was probably smoking, as Fang Shaoyi could hear him exhaling smoke. "As for me, I don't want you to take it too seriously. I won't force you. I just don't want our divorce to become a scandal that everyone talks about. It's pointless."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't interrupt him and listened as he continued to speak.

\n\n

"I said that because I want to leave a way out for us," Yuan Ye chuckled softly. "I'm afraid you'll just stamp our divorce papers without a second thought. I'm being sneaky, but I don't want us to just end things like this."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi responded with a sound of agreement and then asked him, "If you don't want to end things, then what do you want?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled, with a slightly hoarse but soothing tone, "Do you really have to make me say it all?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied calmly, "Yes."

\n\n

Still smiling, Yuan Ye said, "I want to get back together with you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and scratched the back of his phone with his finger, listening to Yuan Ye continue, "Brother Yi, I'll give you a full account. Before coming on this show, I thought we were done. I just wanted to see you. I'm the kind of person...you know me, even if I hit a wall, I won't turn back. This is the first time in my life that I want to turn back. I've only been thinking about turning back lately."

\n\n

Whether it was the speaker or the listener, these words were bittersweet because the phrase "turn back" itself carried a sense of regret.

\n\n

"But I posted that Weibo out of desperation, don't think I'm forcing you to reconcile with me. Everyone has to bear the consequences of their choices. When I had the chance, I didn't use the best method to solve the problem and chose the most extreme path. So today's embarrassment and discomfort are my own doing."

\n\n

"Let's leave it to time and fate," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was so angry that his vision went black. Who are you waiting for to determine whether there is fate or not? God? Destiny?

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. Yuan Ye's words left him speechless and choked up.

\n\n

Fine, you just listen to fate.

\n\n

"I've never seen you listen to anyone in your life," Fang Shaoyi said lowly, then added, "From now on, no matter what you want to say, ask me first. Don't take the blame on yourself, I don't need you to carry anything for me. Just behave and let me have some peace of mind."

\n\n

"Okay," Yuan Ye smiled.

\n\n

The next day, Fang Shaoyi officially posted a Weibo about the matter: "I won't talk about family matters anymore, it's just a small issue that doesn't require everyone's attention. It's not that complicated, let emotions solve emotional problems."

\n\n

Although the Weibo post only had two sentences, the content was significant. The phrase "family matters" was intriguing, and the idea of "emotions solving emotional problems" was delicate.

\n\n

The tears of the devoted fans flowed as they ate their meals: "Yesterday, they had a fight and hurt each other, but now they've made up. Go, Uncle Ye!"

\n\n

"Wow, this drama is so addictive. I love it," said another fan.

\n\n

"QAQ Please, please, you must stay together! You are really really my last hope for true love. If you two really break up, I won't believe in love anymore. Waaah!"

\n\n

"I'm sorry, but I still think they're cool even when they fight. If they're divorced, I'll still think they're cool. Am I already hopeless..."

\n\n

Even Ji Xiaotao created a few fake accounts to join in the fun and commented below: "I think you two are just bored. Get back together already!"

\n\n

After posting the comment, he messaged the original poster and asked, "Brother Ye, how are you planning to chase him? Do you need his schedule or him room number?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied to him through voice message: "Can you stop sending me messages? It's so annoying."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao retorted: "Why are you talking to me like this? There's a lot you can use me for, so think about it carefully!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied indifferently: "I don't need anyone's help."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was speechless.

\n\n

So arrogant.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao asked him: "When will you start chasing, Brother Ye?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied coldly: "It's none of your business."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao then asked: "Are you really not coming to visit us, Brother Ye? We're in a tough spot right now, doing odd jobs for the entire crew and sometimes going without food."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied with just two words, in a very cool tone: "Not visiting."

\n","published_time":"2023-09-17T23:57:06.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":345,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":25,"chapter_title":"Chapter 25","content":"

Fang Shaoyi was already quite skilled with the scissors. He looked just like a professional hair stylist, except he was a bit tall and needed the chair to be raised to its highest level to work comfortably.

\n\n

Liu An reassured him that he was good enough as he was, with just the scissors, comb, and hair dryer. He casually pulled a youth over and said, "Come here, your hair is getting long, let Shaoyi give you a haircut."

\n\n

The youth's eyes showed fear, but he didn't resist. He sat down on the chair, resigned to his fate, and said, "Okay."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him in the mirror and smiled, saying, "Don't be nervous."

\n\n

The youth looked miserable and said, "That's impossible...but my hair grows fast, so it's okay."

\n\n

Liu An patted his shoulder and leaned back, sipping his milk tea with a smile. "If the haircut isn't good, I'll let someone fix it for you."

\n\n

The youth nodded and sat there, letting Fang Shaoyi work his magic. In fact, he got more than just a haircut - it came with a head massage too.

\n\n

The scene in the movie was blurred, but it was set in the 90s, so there were no fancy reclining chairs for hair washing like in modern salons. Instead, they sat in regular chairs and used their hands to lather up the shampoo while massaging the scalp.

\n\n

And since it was the hands of a movie emperor like Fang Shaoyi, the youth couldn't help but laugh and say, "I should take a picture and send it to my girlfriend. She loves Fang-laoshi...Sen Cha."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi teased him by glancing at him in the mirror and saying, "When you were shouting at me yesterday, you should have live-streamed it to your girlfriend."

\n\n

"Oh my god," the youth blinked his eyes and looked at Liu An, who was smiling on the side. He whispered, "Director said that Fang-lao...he said he doesn't hold grudges."

\n\n

Everyone around them laughed. The atmosphere only relaxed when Fang Shaoyi started working. If he had nothing to do, these people would have to find work for him and even exclude him. But everyone was used to it now, and sometimes even forgot that he was Fang Shaoyi. They had successfully brainwashed themselves.

\n\n

In just one week, filming for Fang Shaoyi's new movie would begin. It had been almost a month since the preparations started, and it was not an easy time. There were all sorts of intentional difficulties and attacks, some of which were quite excessive. If it were any other actor of his caliber, they would have lost their temper long ago.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had said that he would chase him, but there had been no further action. The online gossip about their divorce also stopped spreading, and it all came down to Fang Shaoyi's Weibo post. From then on, it was just idle speculation and analysis from the audience. The main characters had gone quiet, and there was nothing more to dig up about them.

\n\n

However, it was also because Geng Jinwei and the public relations company were keeping a tight lid on things. Fang Shaoyi had never really needed public relations in all these years, but this was the first time he required such a high level of attention.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei was fed up with these two people's antics and hadn't talked to them much in the past few days.

\n\n

Later, Ji Xiaotao brought someone to the dressing room and said to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother, the new employee has arrived."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned his head and glanced at them. The male youth that Geng Jinwei had brought before smiled at him and greeted him, "Brother Shaoyi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded in response and asked, "Have you met the director yet?"

\n\n

Yang Siran said, "Not yet, I just arrived."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi made a sound of acknowledgement and asked him, "Has the company assigned someone to accompany you? Do you have an assistant?"

\n\n

"Yes, President Geng arranged an assistant for me," Yang Siran nodded.

\n\n

"Okay," Fang Shaoyi said, "If you need anything, you can also talk to Xiaotao."

\n\n

"Okay, Brother Shaoyi."

\n\n

This youth seemed quite obedient and didn't talk much. He was good at reading people's expressions and didn't rely on assistants much after joining the crew. When he had nothing to do, he would help Ji Xiaotao with his work.

\n\n

It was clear that Geng Jinwei really wanted to promote him, as the assistant assigned to him was not a newcomer and had been with the company for several years, working with several artists and having some connections and resources of their own.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao privately told Fang Shaoyi, "I think the kid is pretty good. He's obedient and doesn't have any major flaws. His conditions are also good, so if we promote him, he should be able to become popular."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi hadn't had much contact with him, but if Geng Jinwei wanted to promote him, he would support it without any objections. This newcomer Yang Siran was signed by Fang Shaoyi's studio, and since Fang Shaoyi himself was also on set, he was treated quite well.

\n\n

Yang Siran was respectful to everyone, even the crew members, and never acted superior. However, many newcomers are like this when they have no fame, and once they become popular, they change. The entertainment industry is a place of fame and fortune, where lifting up and putting down others has become a habit.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's first scene was with him, and it was intentionally arranged by the director. Among all the newcomers in this scene, Yang Siran was the only one. The director gave Fang Shaoyi the scene to help him get into the rhythm quickly. Since Yang Siran was signed by Fang Shaoyi's studio, it was only right for Fang Shaoyi to guide him at the start.

\n\n

Before filming started, Yang Siran said to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother Shaoyi, I've never acted in a movie before. If there's anything I'm not doing well, just tell me directly. You don't have to spare my feelings or anything."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and replied, "Don't worry, there's no need to be nervous. Since President Geng signed you, he must see potential in you. Take it slow."

\n\n

Yang Siran smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm just afraid of causing trouble for you and slowing things down. So if there's anything I'm not doing well, please let me know."

\n\n

But what was surprising was that this child actor was actually quite good.

\n\n

In the first scene, Fang Shaoyi rented a room in the small town and Yang Siran played the role of Sen Cha's landlord. He was a timid college student who wore glasses and was assigned to work in a pharmaceutical factory after graduation. Later, he quit his job due to poor health and relied on rent to make a living while idle at home when Sen Cha arrived in the small town.

\n\n

Sometimes, new actors struggle for days to pass their first scene, but they passed it in just four takes. Some people have a natural sense for the camera, even if they haven't acted before.

\n\n

Directors prefer these types of people. They love talented actors who haven't had much experience because they have a clean slate and haven't learned too many techniques. With their natural abilities, they can be polished to perfection, and there may even be some unexpected surprises.

\n\n

After the shoot, Director Jiang said to Fang Shaoyi, "This young actor did pretty well."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied, "He did okay. It was lucky for him to have his first role in your film."

\n\n

"What luck?" Director Jiang sneered. "President Geng deliberately stuffed him in. There was actually a more suitable actor, but you guys squeezed him out."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and spoke straightforwardly to Jiang Linchuan, "Brother Geng wants me to guide him along."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan didn't say much, after all, it wasn't a major role, and Yang Siran, the kid, was pretty good.

\n\n

This modern film wasn't as difficult to shoot as a period drama, so Fang Shaoyi didn't suffer as much, and Ji Xiaotao was also much more at ease. But now that he was at ease, he started worrying about useless things again and asked Fang Shaoyi, "Brother, has Brother Ye started pursuing you?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "What do you think?"

\n\n

"I haven't seen any movement between you two," Ji Xiaotao probed, "When did Brother Ye start pursuing you?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't even lift his head, "Go ask him."

\n\n

"He's not responding to my messages, it's driving me crazy," Ji Xiaotao said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was really not responding to his messages. He had been so annoyed by Xiaotao that the only thing he hadn't done was block him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi scolded him, "I told you not to bother him all the time."

\n\n

"But if I don't contact him, the two of you won't talk for a long time. Aren't I being anxious for you?" Ji Xiaotao handed over the script for tomorrow's play that the assistant director had brought over and said, "We'll be tied up with filming until May next year, and you'll just be staying on the set and can't go out. If I don't call Brother Ye over, when will you two make up?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was also annoyed with him. He glanced at the door and gestured for him to leave, saying, "Go back to sleep and stop nagging here."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was also about to leave and said to him, "Then you should go to bed early too, brother. I'll come and wake you up at six tomorrow."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi waved his hand, letting Ji Xiaotao leave.

\n\n

This guy Yuan Ye was unreliable. He claimed to want to pursue him, and he had also agreed, but after making a phone call he disappeared without a trace. The online fans of this CP were constantly asking about Yuan Ye's progress, hoping to see them together again. But this guy kept disappearing, leaving everyone hanging.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took out his phone and sent a message to Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Their chat history was still stuck on the last time Yuan Ye sent him a message saying, "Thank you for our fate."

\n\n

They hadn't messaged each other since then. Fang Shaoyi pursed his lips and sent a message to Yuan Ye: "Waiting for fate to fall on your head?"

\n\n

He didn't expect Yuan Ye to reply. He wasn't even sure when Yuan Ye would check his phone.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye messaged back, Fang Shaoyi was already asleep. He replied with a voice message in the middle of the night, "Hahaha."

\n\n

His phone was right next to his bed, so he picked it up and frowned before sending a voice message back, "What are you foolishly laughing at?"

\n\n

He was half-awake, his voice low and hoarse. Even through the phone, it made Yuan Ye's ears tingle. Yuan Ye sent him a voice message in return, "Are you trying to flirt with me, bro?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and sent a voice message back, "What did I do to flirt with you?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye quickly replied, "You're flirting with my ears."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still had his eyes closed and asked, "Are you turned on?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye sent a message with ellipses first, then after a few seconds, he sent a two-second voice message while laughing, "F*ck..."

\n\n

These two are quite crazy. One of them probably hasn't slept yet, while the other woke up halfway and they just chatted back and forth, saying things that were not very virtuous.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi, "Is Xiaotao gay? He doesn't seem like a straight guy now. He talks like an old lady."

\n\n

"I don't know," Fang Shaoyi didn't pay much attention to his assistant's love life and was clueless. "If he annoys you, just block him."

\n\n

"I can't do that. Sometimes he does have important matters to discuss."

\n\n

It had been a long time since they had chatted like this, just sending messages to each other purely for the sake of conversation. That was something they did many years ago when they had nothing on their minds and could talk about anything.

\n\n

Later, Yuan Ye directly made a voice call and Fang Shaoyi answered. Yuan Ye laughed and called him "Brother Yi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi responded with a nasal sound, "Mm."

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "Don't you think we're like two old men pretending to be young boys in love?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow, "Are young boys the only ones allowed to chat? Did they patent it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye burst out laughing again, coughing twice from the laughter.

\n\n

After he finished laughing, Fang Shaoyi called out to him, "Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye loved it when Fang Shaoyi called him by his name, he really loved it. When others called him by the same two words, it didn't have the same flavor as when Fang Shaoyi said it. It was only when it was Fang Shaoyi that it sounded especially nice. Yuan Ye responded, "Yeah."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "Quit smoking."

\n\n

Yuan Ye paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "I knew you were going to bring up my smoking."

\n\n

Yuan Ye used to smoke for a while. Many writers have this habit of picking up a cigarette while writing. He used to cough a lot, but Fang Shaoyi forced him to quit.

\n\n

Now, Yuan Ye has a heavy addiction to smoking, and he knows it won't be easy to quit. "I'll try to cut back," he says.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much, just a simple "okay."

\n\n

They spoke like this on the phone, holding their phones close to their ears, listening to each other's soft voices in the late night. It's quite comforting. But after a while it got too late, and Fang Shaoyi still has to film tomorrow. Yuan Ye says, "You should go to bed, or you won't be able to do your makeup tomorrow."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi agrees and tells Yuan Ye, "You should go to bed early too. Don't stay up too late, you're over thirty now."

\n\n

Yuan Ye says, "Okay."

\n\n

Both of them were waiting for the other to hang up. Before hanging up, Fang Shaoyi called out to Yuan Ye.

\n\n

"What's up?" Yuan Ye asked.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and asked him softly, "When do you plan to come out and look for your fate."

\n\n","published_time":"2023-09-24T23:15:50.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":353,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":26,"chapter_title":"Chapter 26","content":"

A phone call that was full of twists and turns had just taken place.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao didn't know that the two of them had already talked late into the night, and he continued to worry and fret in his heart and dared not say much.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was too calm. He was always like this. You couldn't tell what he was thinking just by looking at him, nor could you guess.

\n\n

"Brother Tao, are you busy?" Yang Siran's assistant, Chen Tong, had been with the company for a long time and was somewhat familiar with Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

While Fang Shaoyi and Yang Siran were filming, Chen Tong came over to Ji Xiaotao's side, squatted down, and said hello.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao greeted him back and moved over to sit on Fang Shaoyi chair's, pointing to the one he had just sat on and said, "Sit."

\n\n

Chen Tong smiled and sat down.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao held a big bag of clothes for Fang Shaoyi and chatted with Chen Tong: "Are you going focus on taking care of him now?"

\n\n

"I don't know, I'm just following the arrangements," Chen Tong sighed and said, "Actually, I'm having a hard time taking care of people. I feel like I can't handle staying up late anymore in the past two years."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao laughed and looked at him: "You're still young, how can you not handle staying up late?"

\n\n

Chen Tong replied, "My physical condition is not good, I'm far worse than you, Brother Tao. I can't stay up late, it gives me a headache."

\n\n

Two messages came on his phone, it was from Jian Xu's assistant. They were nothing important, just two silly emojis. While replying with his own emojis, Ji Xiaotao said, "Why don't you apply to transfer to become an agent? It would be easier, but if you're representing a newcomer, you'll probably still have to run around for a year or two."

\n\n

"Well, I mentioned it to Brother Lin last time," Chen Tong said. "It's a bit too much to follow so closely while they're filming."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao chatted with him like this, while also sending memes to Jian Xu's assistant on Wechat. Jian Xu was still a stable TV star, able to carry the ratings as long as the script wasn't too bad and the production was decent, ensuring that the box office wouldn't be too poor.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had always had a good relationship with him, and among their classmates who became celebrities, only the two of them had reached such high positions. Jian Xu's assistant was only 24 years old and had just started in this industry last year, always considering himself a newbie. But he was a bit silly and always liked to send memes.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao asked him on WeChat: "Are you still in Beijing?"

\n\n

Jian Xu's assistant, named Dong Lin, replied: "No, we're in X city. We're very close."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao said: "You speak properly."

\n\n

Dong Lin replied: "Hahaha, what do you think I'm doing, trying to flirt with you? My Brother Jian said we're close enough to meet up."

\n\n

"Ji Xiaotao: Really? Coming over to film?

\n\n

Dong Lin: Yes, really.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao: Acting all gay.

\n\n

Actually, the kid is a straight guy and not feminine at all. He just likes to act a little crazy. After chatting with him for a while, Fang Shaoyi had finished filming and Ji Xiaotao told him, "Brother Jian is in X city, he's asked you out for a meal together."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked, "What is he doing here? To film?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao replied, "Yes, I heard from Dong Lin that they are expected to film here for 40 days."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and said, "Then you check the schedule and find a day to have a meal with him."

\n\n

Yang Siran and Chen Tong were not far away from them. Ji Xiaotao heard Yang Siran whisper, "Can you not check my phone in the future? If there are messages then just leave them alone."

\n\n

Chen Tong's response was not heard, his voice was too low, probably because he was too close to Fang Shaoyi and didn't want to speak too loudly. Ji Xiaotao glanced over and continued talking to Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

The shot just now wasn't good and they'll have to redo it later. During these breaks, Fang Shaoyi usually doesn't talk much to maintain his emotions. If he talks about unrelated things too much, his emotions will dissipate.

\n\n

Yang Siran moved a few steps to the other side, and Chen Tong followed him, so they couldn't hear what they were saying. Yang Siran frowned lightly, as if he didn't quite agree with Chen Tong's words, and kept whispering to him.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao handed a cup of water to Fang Shaoyi, who silently took it and drank some water to moisten his throat.

\n\n

This time, Jian Xu was coming to the film and television base to shoot a movie, which was only a two-hour drive from Fang Shaoyi's place. Fang Shaoyi took some time off to visit his set.

\n\n

The director was a young and talented one that Fang Shaoyi had never worked with before, but they had met a few times at film festivals and chatted. They were shooting a light-hearted urban romance film, and Jian Xu played the role of a reserved sports teacher.

\n\n

It was a typical Valentine's Day movie that you could enjoy with popcorn and coke without any stress. The director didn't have any big ambitions, and shooting this kind of movie wasn't tiring.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi arrived, Jian Xu was sunbathing with his upper body exposed, with a thin layer of oil on his skin, making him very eye-catching under the sun.

\n\n

The director sipped on the iced tea brought by Ji Xiaotao, chatting happily with Fang Shaoyi. The director was a year younger than Fang Shaoyi, and in the director's circle, he was considered a young up-and-comer. He said, "Brother Shaoyi, let's take a set photo later, we'll post it on our social media."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and replied, "Sure."

\n\n

Jian Xu, who now had a shirt on, walked over. The director asked someone nearby to take a photo of the three of them, then looked at it and said, "Before we post it, touch it up a bit. The pressure of taking a photo between these two is too much, and I might end up looking unattractive."

\n\n

Everyone nearby laughed, and Jian Xu asked, "Why don't we just sit down and take the photo?"

\n\n

"Forget it, it's the same anywhere. Just make sure to make my legs look longer when we post it," the director said.

\n\n

That day, Fang Shaoyi and Jian Xu had dinner together with Ji Xiaotao and Dong Lin. They were old acquaintances, so it was no big deal for the assistants to sit with them. Although Fang Shaoyi and Jian Xu hadn't met up much in the past two years, their relationship was still strong and they always had plenty to talk about. Everyone knew they were close, and they truly were.

\n\n

Inside the private room, Jian Xu took off his shirt and was only wearing a tank top. Ji Xiaotao laughed and said, "Brother Jian, your muscles are looking good lately."

\n\n

Jian Xu scoffed and gave him a look, "Are you making fun of me? Your brother is right here, and I still have the nerve to talk about muscles?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao chuckled, "You're almost as good as my brother, but even without comparing, your muscles are amazing."

\n\n

"Is that a compliment for me or for your brother?" Jian Xu opened a bottle of ice-cold beer for himself and asked Fang Shaoyi, "Want some?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't drink much, so he poured himself a cup of tea.

\n\n

Jian Xu tapped his cup against Fang Shaoyi's and said, "Let's cheers, brother. It's been over half a year since we last saw each other."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Do you have any other projects after this one?"

\n\n

"Yes, I have another period drama to film after this. After that, I haven't accepted any other projects. I want to take a break," Jian Xu said.

\n\n

During dinner, Jian Xu didn't eat much. He ordered a vegetable salad and slowly chewed on it while sighing, "The coach doesn't let me eat much. He even makes me eat eggs, which I hate the most."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "Just substitute it with something else. It's the same."

\n\n

Jian Xu and Fang Shaoyi were born in the same year, but Fang Shaoyi hasn't really filmed any romantic comedies in recent years, while Jian Xu has done many of this type. However, he's also 36 years old now and this type of work won't last forever. He needs to consider transitioning.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi and he are close, there's nothing they can't talk about. They spent all their time together when they were in school and haven't had any conflicts in recent years. They're true brothers in this industry.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said to him, "If you want to transition, you shouldn't get many of these types of roles. You may get a few that audiences will buy into, and your fans may support you at the box office, but in the long run, your style will be stuck here and there won't be any benefits."

\n\n

Jian Xu poured him a cup of tea and gave a bitter smile. "No one comes to me anymore, bro. The only ones they come looking for me now are for the third-rate supporting male characters or worse. I don't even get second male lead roles anymore. This one is already considered not bad, at least the script is decent. I can still take supporting guest roles, but how am I supposed to film these third- and fourth-supporting character roles?"

\n\n

Jian Xu was a top-tier actor in the TV drama industry and had managed to stay at the top for many years. However, he no longer accepted idol dramas. The industry now only produced a few types of dramas that could be filmed and broadcasted, and even fewer if you excluded war dramas.

\n\n

His work last year, a drama about post-marriage ethics, had received a good response, but he was already tired of that kind of role. Big-budget political dramas only came out once a year, and he couldn't afford to wait that long. It was an awkward situation.

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The studio and company resources were all geared towards TV dramas, and the film industry's resources coudn't extend to them. The big directors and productions were out of reach, as many had a few fixed actors they worked with. He didn't want to take on bad movies, so he kept dragging on year after year, still filming dramas to this day.

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Fang Shaoyi said, "There are some roles where the third and fourth supporting characters aren't too bad. I heard that you turned down Director Wei's drama last year. I'll keep an eye out for you and let you know if there's anything suitable. Whether it works out or not, I'll let your company handle the negotiations."

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Fang Shaoyi turns down a lot of films every year due to scheduling conflicts, but he and Jian Xu are not in the same category. The films that invite him may not necessarily be suitable for Jian Xu. Moreover, he is not like the small actors in the company who can just talk to the director and get a small role. Jian Xu needs an important role, and such roles from big directors cannot be obtained just by saying hello.

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"Thanks, brother. That Director Wei's play...the female lead is my ex-girlfriend, bro!" Jian Xu shook his head and smiled, looking at Fang Shaoyi. "Don't talk about me, what about you? You've been pretty busy lately, too?"

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Dong Lin had been holding back for a long time and finally got a chance to speak up: "Hahaha, has Yuan Ye started chasing after you, Brother Shaoyi?"

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Most people wouldn't dare to joke around with Fang Shaoyi, but Jian Xu had no problem speaking his mind. Fang Shaoyi aside, he was even familiar with Yuan Ye, having known him since he was a youth back then. They used to eat together all the time, and back then, Yuan Ye was like a little brother to him. Who would have thought that Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi would really get together?

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And after that, they really divorced.

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Ji Xiaotao nudged Dong Lin and said, "Why are you prying into their business?"

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But Jian Xu continued, "Don't be mad at my assistant, Dong Lin, just ask. Ask your Brother Shaoyi if he's made up with Yuan Ye yet."

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Fang Shaoyi didn't respond, simply taking a bite of his food and remaining silent.

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Jian Xu continued, "Did you guys get bored just living your lives without any excitement? I told you last year that you were being too idle, playing around with feelings."

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At the dinner table, Fang Shaoyi didn't like to talk about himself and Yuan Ye's situation, nor did he want to bring it up, even if it was to Jian Xu.

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Plus, Fang Shaoyi couldn't say anything anyway. What could he say? Could he say that Yuan Ye didn't actually pursue him after he posted on Weibo? There didn't seem to be any intention to pursue on his end, but now they occasionally talked on the phone at night and chatted with each other.

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To be honest, it was too embarrassing to say. This monkey was unreliable.

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What has this monkey been busy with lately that he's so unreliable?

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Yuan Ye had the phone pressed to his ear, making tea and responding with "Mm-hmm" as he listened.

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"So, you said a lot, but this is still a bad book," Yuan Ye put the tea back on the table and stretched his arms, saying, "What were you thinking? Why didn't you ask me before you bought it?"

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"I'm not just brushing you off, I read every single word. If it doesn't work, it just doesn't work."

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"What sixty million, even if it means losing the money you used to buy this book, you'll just have to accept it. If you throw another 60 million in, you'll be crying in the future. Why don't you just hire someone else to rewrite it, with a different spin."

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"Don't bother with the story, it's useless."

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"Me? I can't write this, it's not about the money. I wouldn't write it for 10 million or even 80 million. You could kill me and I still wouldn't write it."

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"Next time, use your brain before spending money. Bye, cutie."

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After hanging up the phone, Yuan Ye threw it onto the table and reached behind to massage his stiff neck. He had been rushing to finish his writing assignments lately and felt like his bones were all stiff and creaky.

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Earlier, it was Ning Lu who called him. He had bought a script from a top screenwriter for a hefty sum last month and felt that he could make a killing. He messaged Yuan Ye, saying that he planned to invest 60 million yuan to make a movie that would surpass last year's "Wilderness Fairy Tale."

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Yuan Ye had not had a chance to read the script as he had been busy lately. Yesterday, Ning Lu urged him to read it, but Yuan Ye only glanced at it briefly and felt that something was off.

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After taking a closer look, he realized that it was really not good. He even flipped to the ending and knew that if it were to be made into a movie, it would be a complete disaster.

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Those stories where wealthy investors were deceived into buying losing stocks described Ning Lu exactly.

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It was all a coincidence. Before buying the script, Ning Lu had asked Yuan Ye to take a look at it for him. However, at that time, Yuan Ye had disappeared from his phone for many days after posting on Weibo.

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Ning Lu couldn't contact him. The screenwriter also fooled him, and he didn't care that much anymore. He just bought it and was even waiting for Yuan Ye's praise.

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Yuan Ye's words hit him hard. He couldn't believe he had thrown away millions of dollars like that.

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Ning Lu was a great investor. He was rich and naive, and any project that fell into his lap was lucky. Yuan Ye shook his head and turned his neck back and forth. He couldn't handle this silly and sweet rich man's heart.

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After a while, Yuan Ye couldn't bear it anymore. He pulled out Ning Lu's lousy script and wrote a story outline of over a thousand words for him. He highlighted the key characters and wrote a brief summary.

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"If you trust me, don't film this. See if you can sell it at a lower price. If you insist on filming, this is the only feasible plan I can think of. Take a look and decide for yourself."

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Yuan Ye sent an email to Ning Lu and then notified him through WeChat.

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He had been idle for over a year and had accumulated some debt, but he had managed to pay off most of it during this time. He had been working on his own book for two years and only had the final chapter left to write, which would probably take a few more days.

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He checked the time and it was already 10 pm. He called Fang Shaoyi, but the phone rang for a while before someone answered, but it wasn't Fang Shaoyi.

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"Brother Ye? Brother Ye are you looking for my brother? He's at a meeting with the director!" Ji Xiaotao shouted.

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"Okay, then it's fine." Yuan Ye was about to hang up the phone.

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Ji Xiaotao called out to him, "Brother Ye!"

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Yuan Ye helplessly replied, "Don't shout so loudly, it makes me feel like something is wrong with me."

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"Brother Ye, I finally heard from you!" Ji Xiaotao sounded very excited, "I thought you disappeared!"

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Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow, it seemed that he didn't know about the calls between him and Fang Shaoyi. Yuan Ye smiled, "Ah."

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Ji Xiaotao asked, "Brother Ye, what are you busy with?"

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Yuan Ye didn't have time to chat with him and said, "I'm really busy, Xiaotao, I have a lot of things to do, let's not talk for now."

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Ji Xiaotao was quick to say "Okay, okay, byebye" and hung up, saying that he would tell his brother to call back later. In fact, if he had looked at Fang Shaoyi's phone, he would have known that their call and WeChat records were all there, and there were quite a few of them.

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Later, Fang Shaoyi called back and Yuan Ye answered, putting him on speakerphone and placing the phone on the table. "Brother Yi," he said.

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"I just went out for a bit," Fang Shaoyi said.

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"I know," Yuan Ye laughed. "Xiaotao told me."

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When Fang Shaoyi went to take a shower, he left his phone outside. Yuan Ye left his phone on the table and didn't hang up, so it just stayed there. When Fang Shaoyi came out, Yuan Ye heard him and asked, "Are you done showering?"

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Fang Shaoyi replied with a "Mm," and Yuan Ye asked, "Did you wash your face?"

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They sometimes just talk on the phone, not really saying much, but the calls are pretty long. It's a new and interesting feeling.

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Fang Shaoyi told him, "I went to Jian Xu's place today to visit him."

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"He's filming there too? In the film and television city?" Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and asked.

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"Yeah, he's filming a movie," Fang Shaoyi replied.

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"He's taking on movies now?" Yuan Ye asked, "What kind of movie?"

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"A light-hearted one about love," Fang Shaoyi said.

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"Ah," Yuan Ye said, "So Brother Xu isn't changing his style?"

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"It's not easy to change," Fang Shaoyi took the new script he just got from the director and looked at it while talking to Yuan Ye, "Can't find good movies to take on, and he doesn't want to take on bad ones."

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Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi chatted for a long time, and he really enjoyed talking to Fang Shaoyi, even though it may not seem very mature behavior.

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They finised chatting at almost midnight, and Yuan Ye was actually quite tired, but he didn't really want to sleep. So, he decided to continue working and quickly finish what needed to be done.

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In the following days, Fang Shaoyi had night scenes for filming, and Yuan Ye and him chatted a bit over WeChat messages, but they didn't talk on the phone. Yuan Ye didn't want to call Fang Shaoyi while he was working, and they didn't have anything important to discuss anyway. It would be too much to call during filming.

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On Friday, Yuan Ye sent a document through email and then sent a voice message on WeChat saying, "President Zhang, I sent the file to your email. I won't bother with anything else. Just let me know when you're done reviewing it and send any comments back to me. This one doesn't need any graphics, so you can handle the rest."

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The other party replied, "Thanks, Brother Ye. I'll take a look later."

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Yuan Ye smiled and said, "No problem. If you can't reach me by phone, just leave me a message and I'll get back to you."

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The other party responded with a simple "Okay."

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Yuan Ye stood up and stretched his waist. In the past, if Fang Shaoyi was around, he would force Yuan Ye to stand up after sitting for too long. Fang Shaoyi's rules were usually strict, and if they weren't followed, there would be consequences.

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But now that he was a free man, no one was there to boss him around. He was free to do as he pleased.

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With a chuckle, Yuan Ye bent down to close the email window.

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On his computer desktop, a news page automatically popped up, but Yuan Ye didn't pay attention and was about to click the X to close it. These pop-up windows were always so annoying and couldn't be blocked. But when he went to close it, the interface scrolled down to the entertainment section and Yuan Ye instinctively paused.

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People are always sensitive to their own names, let aloneFang Shaoyi's.

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Yuan Ye scanned the page and let out a sigh. He had uninstalled Weibo, never looked at news on his phone, and only checked WeChat if he received a message. But in modern society, it's impossible to completely cut off the internet. Just like now, it can't be avoided even if he wanted to.

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Yuan Ye shook his head and closed the computer.

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The section he had just seen was filled with gossip and pictures.

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Title in bold: Fang Shaoyi stays in a room with a young male star until dawn. Netizens ask: "Yuan Ye, are you still chasing after him?"

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The accompanying pictures are a bit blurry, with the watermark "xx entertainment exclusive" covering the entire image. There are several pictures of Fang Shaoyi opening the door for a young man and the process of the young man leaving later.

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The author has something to say:

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(With the background of same-sex marriage, there's no need to argue about the color of the divorce certificate. Whether it's red, green, blue, or black, it doesn't matter.)

\n","published_time":"2023-10-02T00:22:10.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":361,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":27,"chapter_title":"Chapter 27","content":"

Thing were really heating up now, someone could even make headlines while being at the set.

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- "What's up with Fang Shaoyi's recent surge in gossip? Has he fallen out of favor? And enough with the endless publicity stunts about his personal life, it's getting annoying."

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- "Who is this guy anyway? Some 'young male star' from the middle of nowhere? His body looks good, but I don't recognize his face. But Fang was already divorced, so what's the big deal?"

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- "[Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn] I turned against him when he pushed Yuan Ye to take the blame. I used to think he was a gentleman, but I was wrong to mistake a hypocrite for a gentleman. 'Let emotions solve emotional problems' was like this? How did that solve his 'family affairs'?"

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-"I don't think these few pictures can prove anything, can they? Watching 'In Time', I can tell from his eyes that Fang really likes Yuan..."

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-"Still saying that he's gentleman...it's hilarious! He got divorced, went on a dating show to deceive fans, and he's still a gentleman [smiling]. The comment next door is also funny, and the way he looks is even more hilarious. Did you forget that he's a movie emperor?"

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"Brother Shaoyi, I'm really sorry for causing you trouble." Yang Siran apologized to Fang Shaoyi with a serious face, looking unhappy. "Do you need me to say anything? I can explain on Weibo, or the company can arrange something. Whatever you need, I can do it."

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Fang Shaoyi leaned against the windowsill with his hands behind his back, not getting angry with him, and just said, "It's none of your business. It's not your concern. You can go now."

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Yang Siran looked at him, then at Geng Jinwei, and nodded, saying, "If there's anything I can do, just let me know."

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Geng Jinwei nodded back at him, and Yang Siran left, closing the door behind him.

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The news had come out of nowhere the night before. XX Entertainment had been on good terms with them before, and they could still talk to each other. But this time, they didn't even say hello before releasing the news. It was quite unexpected.

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Geng Jinwei said, "We're being targeted."

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Fang Shaoyi frowned, about to speak, when his phone rang.

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He glanced at the screen and saw that it was his father.

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"Dad," Fang Shaoyi answered, calling out.

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Fang Han asked him over the phone, "Why are there so many things happening lately? Can you handle it?"

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Fang Shaoyi let out a sound of agreement and said softly, "It's okay, I can handle it."

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The old man is currently filming in Europe, and even at his age, he still works hard and speaks with confidence, "Nothing really happened, right?"

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"No, of course not. How could I dare?" Fang Shaoyi chuckled and joked with his father, "I'm afraid you'll beat me."

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Fang Han also laughed and said, "As long as you didn't do anything wrong, let them be. A clear conscience fears no accusation. If anything happens, just let me know."

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"Okay, you take care of yourself. Don't worry about me, it's just a small matter."

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After hanging up the phone, Geng Jinwei asked him, "How's the old man doing lately?"

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"He's doing pretty well. He still loves filming," Fang Shaoyi sighed, "He's been filming his whole life."

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Over the years, Fang Han's high status was not only due to his contributions to the film industry, but also because of his integrity. He was a true artist who never crossed any lines or did anything scandalous.

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Fang Shaoyi was raised with strict family values and, despite being a prominent second-generation star, he held himself to the same standards as any ordinary person. He refused to adopt any bad habits just because he was in the industry.

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Fang Shaoyi inherited his father's disdain for anything dirty or immoral. Therefore, he left the company's affairs to Geng Jinwei and focused solely on filming.

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Geng Jinwei told him, "You just focus on your work and don't worry about anything else. You don't need to respond to this matter and let them release a statement using the studio's name."

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The news was the kind that made people feel disgusted, no matter what the content was. Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brows and asked, "Where did the photo come from?"

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"Fake flowers in the hallway," came the reply.

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Fang Shaoyi's brows furrowed even more tightly. "When was it planted?"

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"The day before yesterday." Geng Jinwei pulled out a small object from his pocket and pinched it between his fingers. "I've checked the surveillance footage. Someone came in, planted the camera, and left. They wanted to dig up some dirt on you, and it was all too easy to publish something like this. If you don't give them a chance, they'll probably end up publishing a story about you spending the night in the director's room."

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Geng Jinwei sneered and then said to Fang Shaoyi, "I'll handle it. You focus on your acting."

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Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Are you leaving today?"

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"I was supposed to leave today, but I'll hold off for now. We'll see again in the afternoon."

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As soon as this news came out, things in the crew became a bit awkward. Yang Siran was originally a newcomer under Fang Shaoyi's wing, and the crew had been taking care of him. But now that this news had come out, no one was willing to do him any favors.

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Yang Siran had never acted before and was unfamiliar with the workings of the crew. He knew that it was always better to speak less and make fewer mistakes. After filming, he either stood by the director's side to listen to instructions or sat alone to ponder. He hardly spoke to Fang Shaoyi and avoided him whenever possible.

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Seeing how pitiful he looked, Ji Xiaotao went over and handed him a glass of water, saying, "Don't be too nervous, it's just a small matter."

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"Thank you, Brother Xiaotao," Yang Siran took the glass and smiled at him. "I feel like I've caused trouble for everyone."

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"It's not your fault, don't worry," Ji Xiaotao shook his head and told him.

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Yang Siran nodded, "Okay."

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Ji Xiaotao asked him, "What about Brother Chen? Didn't he come with you?"

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Yang Siran said, "Brother Chen wasn't feeling well today, so I let him rest. Besides, I'm familiar with the filming over here now."

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"Oh," Ji Xiaotao asked him, "What about your phone? Who's holding it for you?"

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"I turned it off and let Brother Hua hold it for me," Yang Siran said.

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Ji Xiaotao said, "Give it to me then, I'll hold it for you."

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Yang Siran quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Brother Xiaotao."

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Who knew if his personality was really that calm or if he was just pretending, but so far, Ji Xiaotao was somewhat fond of Yang Siran. Normally, after that photo, Yang Siran would appear suspicious no matter what, but Ji Xiaotao just doesn't think it's like him. But in this industry, there's really no telling who's genuine and who's just good at acting.

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But to go and mess with Fang Shaoyi right after signing with the company? That's just asking for trouble. Who would make an enemy out of the boss before even starting out?

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Fang Shaoyi tried calling Yuan Ye twice, but he didn't pick up and his phone was off. Fang Shaoyi left a message for him: "Call me back when you turn on your phone."

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On that day, Geng Jinwei decided to stay and treated the crew to a meal. He and the producer were old acquaintances, and he had also worked with Director Jiang before.

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They all got along well. In a private room that could fit over twenty people, Geng Jinwei, the director, the producer, and the main actors from the show drank and enjoyed themselves. Jiang Linchuan, a rough and straightforward northerner, spoke and acted with a refreshing vigor. Since they were already eating, they might as well drink to their heart's content.

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In this kind of situation, the assistants didn't have much to do. Ji Xiaotao sat in the car outside, waiting to see who drank too much so he could send them back. The other assistants were also waiting in their respective cars, occasionally coming out to chat.

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On normal occasions, Yang Siran wouldn't have anything to do with this kind of gathering. He couldn't sit at the table, but he went that day anyway. The child had sharp eyes and when he went to pour the director a drink, Geng Jinwei said, "Director Jiang, I didn't have a chance to thank you for giving me some face last time."

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Jiang Linchuan waved his hand and said, "This child is good, he has a natural talent for acting."

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"It's thanks to the director's teaching," Geng Jinwei said, glancing at Yang Siran.

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Yang Siran then refilled the director's cup and whispered, "Thank you, Director. I'm not very smart, but I have thick skin. If there's anything I'm not good at, please tell me and I'll try to improve."

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Jiang Linchuan took a sip of the drink poured by Yang Siran and said, "Learn well from your boss, he's a shrewd person."

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It was unclear whether he was referring to Geng Jinwei or Fang Shaoyi, but both of them laughed.

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Fang Shaoyi appeared to be eating and talking without any delay, but he held onto his phone tightly and checked it from time to time.

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He called Yuan Ye again, but it was still switched off.

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Normally, at this time of day, he wouldn't switch off his phone. Even if he didn't call, he would at least send a message. They were in the stage of being lovey-dovey like young couples. With his phone switched off today, it was obvious that he had seen the news. But he didn't ask him about it, and Fang Shaoyi didn't know what hs was thinking.

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Who chased someone like that.

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Fang Shaoyi thought about sending a message to ask Yuan Ye, "Is this how I pursued you back then?"

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"Shaoyi, are you waiting for a phone call?" The producer on the opposite side asked jokingly, "I see you haven't put down your phone."

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Fang Shaoyi looked up, smiled, and didn't say anything.

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Jiang Linchuan sneered and said, "He's done something wrong and angered someone, so he's waiting for his just desserts now."

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The director's words made everyone laugh, except for Yang Siran who felt a bit embarrassed. Fang Shaoyi begged for mercy and said, "Don't talk about me, you guys continue chatting."

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The private room was always lively, especially with Geng Jinwei around, there was never a dull moment. At first, no one heard the knocking on the door, but eventually Yang Siran was the first to hear it. They all thought it was a waiter and someone shouted, "Come in."

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"Wow, it's so lively in here?"

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As soon as Fang Shaoyi heard the voice, he immediately looked up.

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The door opened a crack and Yuan Ye poked his head in. He was wearing a sports jacket with the zipper pulled all the way up to his chin, and he was smiling mischievously as he looked inside and asked, "Can I come in, leaders?"

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Jiang Linchuan laughed loudly and called out to him, "Hurry up and come in, why are you crouching outside like a mouse!"

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Yuan Ye stood up straight, shouldered the door open, and walked in with his hands in his coat pockets.

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Fang Shaoyi's eyes had been fixed on him the whole time, and when Yuan Ye met his gaze, he raised his eyebrows and gave him a look. The actor who was originally sitting next to Fang Shaoyi immediately stood up and said to Yuan Ye, "Come sit here."

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Yuan Ye smiled and thanked him before sitting down directly.

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Everyone at the table was looking at him, and Yuan Ye took Fang Shaoyi's cup and poured himself a drink. He raised his glass with a smile, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one go.

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Actually, there were some people at the table who knew Yuan Ye, but most of them didn't. However, they weren't complete strangers and could still sit together and enjoy a meal and some drinks.

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Among them, other than Fang Shaoyi, he was most familiar with Geng Jinwei. Geng Jinwei asked him, "Are you here to visit someone?"

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Yuan Ye nodded at him as a greeting and called "Brother Geng," then said, "No, I'm not here to visit anyone."

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As he spoke, his gaze casually swept over Yang Siran, which made the scene a bit farcical. Yang Siran nodded at him with a hint of a smile, showing respect.

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When he said he wasn't here to visit anyone, Geng Jinwei raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you travel thousands of miles just to have a meal?"

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With a smile, Yuan Ye first glanced at Fang Shaoyi, then at the director, before asking, "Just to visit someone, would I dare to enter this room?"

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Fang Shaoyi looked at his profile and noticed that Yuan Ye had lost a lot of weight, but he still looked energetic. There was always a certain vigor about him that made others feel alive just by looking at him.

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Yuan Ye sat in the chair, smiling as he tugged on his ear and said, "Who's missing in this room? I think it's still missing a screenwiter."

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The author has something to say:

\n\n

(Little Yuan: I said I wouldn't visit.)

\n","published_time":"2023-10-08T18:01:52.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":369,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":28,"chapter_title":"Chapter 28","content":"

A screenwriter.

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Fang Shaoyi was surprised, he really didn't expect it. But soon he shook his head and laughed. If it was something expected then it wouldn't be Yuan Ye's style.

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow at Fang Shaoyi and said, "I'll be learning a lot from you, Fang-laoshi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and replied, "I'll follow your lead, Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

Yang Siran quietly walked out and asked the waiter to bring in the cutlery, then he brought it over personally and placed it next to Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye looked up and smiled at him, saying, "Thanks, little brother."

\n\n

"You're too polite, Brother Yuan Ye," Yang Siran pursed his lips and smiled as well.

\n\n

In fact, Yuan Ye had already corresponded with Director Jiang earlier on and had agreed to come. Jiang Linchuan always lacked screenwriters for his films, and he never thought having too many would be a problem. During the preparation period for this movie, there were already eight screenwriters, each writing their own scripts.

\n\n

In the end, Director Jiang picked and chose the ones he liked and added his own ideas to create the final script. There were also screenwriters in the crew, but they were all at the apprentice level.

\n\n

After filming began, Jiang Linchuan didn't really consult with anyone on how to shoot the movie. He had his own ideas in his head, and the current screenwriters in the crew were basically rushing to make changes according to his wishes.

\n\n

Yuan Ye joined the crew, but in reality, he was lowering his own value and seeking trouble for himself. No one wanted to do the job of a screenwriter, as when they encountered a director who was particularly inclined to changing the script, they had to stay up late every day to make revisions, but still couldn't earn much money.

\n\n

At the dinner table, Fang Shaoyi didn't say much to him, and it wasn't convenient to do so.

\n\n

After the dinner ended, the two of them got into the car, and it was only then that Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What are you doing? Aren't you afraid of feeling tired?"

\n\n

"How tired can I get? I'm fine," Yuan Ye laughed and turned to him, "Besides, even if I'm tired, I still have to come. I have to pursue love, you know."

\n\n

"..." Ji Xiaotao looked at the two of them through the rearview mirror, trying to lower his presence, and didn't say a word.

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Fang Shaoyi said lightly, "I thought you had given up already."

\n\n

Yuan Ye quickly shook his head and said, "No way, I have to look out for you guys. I heard you both had a hard time on set? Come on, let Brother Ye take care of you."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao kept looking back and remained silent. He had just been excited about Yuan Ye's arrival. Yuan Ye called him after checking into the hotel and asked for their location, which Ji Xiaotao had reported to him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Where are you staying?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye scratched his head and looked over, asking, "Can I stay in your room?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head, a slight smile on his lips as he said, "No, someone is already in my room."

\n\n

"Oh," Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow, "Is it Yang Siran?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi just smiled and didn't say anything, looking out the car window.

\n\n

Yuan Ye let out a mocking sound and shook its head, "I won't eat this vinegar, it doesn't taste right."

\n\n

Having been a family member of the acting circle for so many years, Yuan Ye knew better than to believe everything he heard. If he had heard this before, he might have been a little scared, but now that he and Fang Shaoyi were getting involved with each other, Fang Shaoyi wouldn't do anything else. Yuan Ye had a basic understanding and trust in him.

\n\n

It was also tough for Ji Xiaotao to be a conspicuous lightbulb all the way. After returning to the hotel, he quickly went back to his own room. Yuan Ye smiled and said to Fang Shaoyi, "I'll come to your room for a bit."

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi walked away, he turned his head and asked, "Aren't you afraid of being photographed?"

\n\n

"They can go ahead and shoot me, why would I be scared?" Yuan Ye laughed and said, "They can do as they please."

\n\n

It goes without saying why Yuan Ye came to the set, everyone knows that he came for a certain someone.

\n\n

However, he and Fang Shaoyi were not at the point where they could reconcile and remarry directly. The past year of separation represented many changes, and if they wanted to start over, many things needed to be reorganized and resolved. It would be irresponsible and disrespectful to their previous relationship and marriage if they just got back together without careful consideration.

\n\n

Sitting on the sofa in Fang Shaoyi's room, Yuan Ye rubbed his head and said to him, "Brother Yi, I'm almost done figuring myself out. Once I do, I'll come back and talk to you. Let's start over."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi walked over and casually touched his head. The stubble was a bit prickly, a feeling Fang Shaoyi hadn't experienced in a long time, and he liked it. He smiled and Yuan Ye watched him, his smile was always charming. Fang Shaoyi said, "Did I say that I wanted to start over with you?"

\n\n

"Ah, you did," Yuan Ye grabbed his hand and looked straight into his eyes, tilting his head and smiling. "Even if you didn't say it, I know you want to. Be open about it, stop pretending."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't help but laugh at what he said. There was no way to deal with this straight ball player. He reached out and squeezed Yuan Ye's hand, feeling the familiar dry warmth.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's room was two floors above Fang Shaoyi's, and he didn't stay long before slipping back. This was a film set, a place for work and filming. They didn't want people to think they were fooling around, so Yuan Ye couldn't possibly sleep in Fang Shaoyi's room. It wasn't that kind of relationship, and they also didn't it want to be like that.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had read the script for the movie a long time ago and had come voluntarily. He had done a lot of preparation work. The original screenwriter had shown him the modified parts and Yuan Ye asked, "Which part has the filming progressed to now?"

\n\n

The original screenwriter was still quite young, and treated Yuan Ye with a fair bit of respect, replying, "We've only filmed these parts."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was surprised, "You've only filmed this little bit?"

\n\n

"Yes, maybe we haven't found the rhythm yet. The director is very demanding, and every scene is shot repeatedly."

\n\n

"Well," Yuan Ye chuckled, "how much investment did it receive to be able to burn through it like this?"

\n\n

"It's a big investment for a low-budget film, so we're being reckless," whispered Little Gao, the screenwriter.

\n\n

Indeed, this film had no valuable actors besides Fang Shaoyi. Although the cast was full of talented actors, including many veteran actors, the main actor was only Fang Shaoyi himself, who had a pretty high salary, but not as high as some people in the industry.

\n\n

The whole movie didn't have any particularly big scenes, and there was no need to spend a lot of money on special effects. They only built a small studio and that was it.

\n\n

On the first day of filming, Yuan Ye was always on set, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sitting next to the director, watching the monitor together, trying to understand the director's thinking and see his thought process. Director Jiang chatted with him a lot and even asked him, "Have you figured out my style?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and said, "I haven't figured out anything."

\n\n

Director Jiang replied, "If you can't figure it out, that's good. I don't even have any style myself, I'm still looking for it."

\n\n

Holding a script in his hand, Yuan Ye asked, "Director, when are we going to have a meeting?"

\n\n

The director said, "If you want to talk about the script, you can come find me anytime."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Okay."

\n\n

Before joining the crew, Yuan Ye had read and pondered over the script, and had many ideas. However, without being on set, he couldn't discuss them with anyone. Jiang Linchuan's ideas were difficult to understand. There were many scenes of the movie that Yuan Ye couldn't understand, no matter how he deeply thought about it, he couldn't figure out what the director was trying to express.

\n\n

In this kind of movie, there can't be any useless dialogue. Every word must have a purpose. The reason why Yuan Ye couldn't see anything in the scene they shot today was because he thought it was a completely useless scene.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi finished filming a scene and came over. Yuan Ye stood up and moved to a different spot, giving the small stool next to the director to Fang Shaoyi to watch the playback. Fang Shaoyi glanced at him, expressionless and wordless, but there was warmth in his eyes.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at him and stood behind them to listen.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked the director, "How about this shot?"

\n\n

The director remained silent for a while, lost in thought, before finally saying, "Take another shot, but with more intensity."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded in agreement and didn't say much more.

\n\n

This scene was between Sen Cha and the blacksmith, where they had a conversation full of philosophy while cutting hair. The blacksmith's hair had to be repeatedly styled for the scene, and then Fang Shaoyi would cut it again.

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan rarely gave them instructions for their scenes, letting them figure it out on their own. He only gave detailed instructions to newcomers like Yang Siran who lacked experience in the industry.

\n\n

Yang Siran was scheduled for the next scene, but it wasn't certain that they would film it today. Even so, he had to be on set in full makeup, waiting on the sidelines while watching Fang Shaoyi and the others perform their scenes. He held his phone tightly, occasionally glancing at it.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye walked past him on his return, Yang Siran suddenly called out, "Brother Yuan Ye!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye stopped and looked at him, "What's up?"

\n\n

Yang Siran stood up and looked at him, whispering, "About the news before...you didn't misunderstand, did you? Don't think too much, I didn't..."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his hand and interrupted him with a smile, "I didn't take it to heart, and you don't have to either. You just entered this circle so you think this is a matter to care about. Taking a step back, the whole world knows that we've divorced, so you don't have to explain it to me so anxiously. There's no need, everyone's free to do whatever they want."

\n\n

"No, I still have to explain to you and Brother Shaoyi. Brother Shaoyi is my boss," Yang Siran said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed, "Okay, I got it."

\n\n

Yang Siran nodded and said, "Then I won't disturb you anymore."

\n\n

Yuan Ye then went back to squatting next to the director.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao had already told Yuan Ye that the room in the photo was not even Fang Shaoyi's. On the day when Geng Jinwei came, Fang Shaoyi had gone to see him, and Yang Siran was the same, even Ji Xiaotao was present. When Yang Siran arrived, Fang Shaoyi was closer to the door, so he went to open it.

\n\n

The entertainment company would release any news for the sake of publicity, as long as it could create a stir. They knew that photoshopped pictures wouldn't hold up, but as long as they released the surveillance video, there was no need for any explanation.

\n\n

After Fang Shaoyi opened the door, he left in less than twenty minutes and returned to his room directly. What was there to explain? They could just release a statement to appease the situation. Even so, this kind of explosive news would still generate a lot of buzz.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was lost in thought when someone came up behind him and pulled his hood up, placing it on his head. Without even turning around, Yuan Ye knew who it was. He strained his neck to look up, but the hood blocked his view of the person.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lowered his head and chuckled, "You're so old already, why are you still so childish."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "I'm thirty-six, so I guess I'm still young."

\n\n

Yuan Ye jerked his head back with force and finally saw Fang Shaoyi. He jerked too hard and almost fell, but managed to catch himself with his arms. Yuan Ye's shoulders shook as he laughed, and he eventually plopped down on the ground, still chuckling.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you doing?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and replied, "You've dazzled me with your handsomeness."

\n","published_time":"2023-10-16T05:00:56.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":377,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":29,"chapter_title":"Chapter 29","content":"

They were all in the same film crew, seeing each other every day. Even if they didn't say much, it still felt different. Just a glance between them was enough to communicate, a silent understanding.

\n\n

The crew had frequent meetings, big and small, and whenever they happened, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi would unconsciously gravitate towards each other and sit together. During these meetings, if the topic didn't concern them, they would exchange glances, but it was without any expressions, as if it wasn't intentional.

\n\n

One day during a meeting, the director grabbed Yuan Ye and said, "Sit here with me."

\n\n

"Ah," Yuan Ye touched his nose, "Okay."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi also came over to sit, and the director pointed to the opposite side, saying, "You sit over there, let's see if the two of you can still make trouble now?"

\n\n

"Haha, we haven't caused any trouble," Yuan Ye sat there, bowing his head and touching his head, "We've been following the meeting rules."

\n\n

"Do you think I'm blind?" Director Jiang pushed Fang Shaoyi again, "Go sit on the opposite side!"

\n\n

Being called out by the director, Yuan Ye felt a bit embarrassed and laughed twice without looking up. Fang Shaoyi had a piece of candy in his mouth, nodded, and went to sit on the opposite side as the director instructed.

\n\n

When it comes to meetings, Yuan Ye is usually very professional and serious. During his early days, he didn't express his opinions much because he didn't write the script himself and didn't fully understand the director's vision. Now that he had observed the director for many days, he knows when to speak up.

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan sets the bar high and his work is never tailored to the audience. Instead, the audience must adapt to his style. Although this was evident from reading the script previously, Jiang Linchuan also made significant changes during filming, which may make even harder for the audience to understand.

\n\n

Yuan Ye spoke bluntly to the director, "You can't raise the artistic value anymore. The essence of the movie is still a small story. Sen Cha is just a hitman who comes to find someone and then kills them. The story's capacity is only so much. If too many things are added, the plot's going to fly away. Director, what do you think?"

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan thought for a moment and then said, "We haven't exceeded its capacity yet. We still need to focus on developing the characters."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "It may not have exceeded its capacity now, but you keep adding more. Almost every character has something added to them. The hardware store and the oil store originally had no story, but now they do. I think you should rein it in, why don't you consider this a bit more."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan's film had a major problem - it wasn't the abundance of props, but rather that every line required the audience to ponder, and every scene tested them. When the director was too stubborn, the rest of the crew had to rein him in. Yuan Ye wasn't afraid to offend anyone and did his job well. Although he came because of Fang Shaoyi, he still had to do what he was supposed to do.

\n\n

His words naturally affected some people's interests. Actors usually complained about having too few lines, but never too many. It was great that the director was willing to add more scenes and lines, but Yuan Ye wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't elevate the characters any more.

\n\n

Onlookers might think that the screenwriter was drawing lines for the director, but if it were them, they would feel that Yuan Ye was suppressing the supporting roles and focusing on the lead, highlighting the protagonist.

\n\n

It was a common occurrence on set, especially for actors like Fang Shaoyi who had their own screenwriter accompanying them. The process of filming him involved constantly adding lines and scenes.

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan looked at Fang Shaoyi and asked, "What about you? What do you think?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi thought for a moment and replied, "So far, it's okay."

\n\n

He glanced at Yuan Ye and continued, "But it's not about my role. It's about the actors themselves understanding their characters. Let's ask them what they think."

\n\n

Yuan Ye also looked at him but didn't say anything more.

\n\n

That night, Fang Shaoyi called Yuan Ye and said, "Come down for some supper."

\n\n

Yuan Ye agreed, "Okay, I'll be there."

\n\n

The filming location was no longer in the village, and there were many restaurants nearby. Ji Xiaotao ordered takeout for them to eat.

\n\n

Yuan Ye came down wearing slippers and pajamas. As soon as he smelled the food, he said, "Your skin is already like this, why are you still eating spicy food so late at night? I guess you don't want to find a partner anymore."

\n\n

"Well, he doesn't have a partner anyway, so he doesn't care," Ji Xiaotao shrugged and replied.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't have the habit of eating at night. He was sitting on the sofa still sucking on a throat lozenge. Yuan Ye asked him, "Is your throat uncomfortable?"

\n\n

"It's okay," Fang Shaoyi replied. He had just finished exercising and took a shower, so his body was still damp.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at the water droplets on his body and laughed, "Just finished showering, huh?"

\n\n

"Yeah," Fang Shaoyi moved over and gave Yuan Ye a place to sit.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat down next to him and leaned in, looking up at him and whispering, "The shower gel smells really good."

\n\n

"Enough, you two," Ji Xiaotao had long lost the excitement of watching them at the beginning and now had a completely indifferent face. "Anyway, it's just flirting. Don't flirt so hard, I can't leave now. I still have to eat."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and said to Fang Shaoyi, "Fire him."

\n\n

"You're the boss," Fang Shaoyi nodded.

\n\n

A small table was set up for a late-night snack, and Ji Xiaotao and Yuan Ye ate while Fang Shaoyi watched them. When Yuan Ye was eating, Fang Shaoyi said to him, "You're not a kid anymore. Why are you still so straightforward?"

\n\n

This sentence made Yuan Ye pause in his movements. He looked up at Fang Shaoyi and asked, "Are you talking about the film?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi made a sound of agreement and looked at him, saying, "It's not appropriate to say in front of actors that they have too many scenes. Even if they don't say anything out loud, they would have some thoughts in their heart."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and replied, "It may offend people, but I'd rather say it in front of everyone. I can't be all friendly on the surface and then go talk to the director behind their backs. That's just being fake. I won't do that. If I offend someone, I'll do it to their face."

\n\n

Yuan Ye had always been like this, and Fang Shaoyi liked him for it. Yuan Ye had his own way of doing things, and Fang Shaoyi didn't want to restrict him or tell him how to live his life.

\n\n

But in a society where relationships are important, especially in this cutthroat industry, it's impossible to always be so straightforward. Yuan Ye knew this, but he still stuck to his principles, and that's neither right nor wrong. It's just the way he is, and that's okay.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi looked out at Yuan Ye, there was a gentle light in his eyes, as well as a distant sense of nostalgia. He had been like this since he was seventeen or eighteen, and now he had doubled in age, but he was still just as stubborn.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached out and rubbed his head, saying, "When the director is filming, his thoughts may not be clear, but after the film is edited, he can see the big picture. If there is too much material, he will cut it down. Look at how many films he has made, he has a good sense of control."

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and shook his head, "Directors already have a lonely job, they can't be expected to figure out the entire movie by themselves. If you know something is wrong, you can't just let him go off track and wait for him to figure it out on his own. What if he can't figure it out? If the movie fails, it's the director who takes the blame. It's too callous, bro."

\n\n

"You can say it, but the director may not listen. There were only two young screenwriters in the team before. When Director Jiang is filming, he likes to challenge himself and doesn't easily change what he believes in," Fang Shaoyi told him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him and said, "Whether he listens or not is his own business. I have to say it. This script is not written by me, it's not my own son. Otherwise, I would have even more to say."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stopped talking to him and rubbed the back of Yuan Ye's head in his palm. He smiled lightly and said, "Okay, let's do it your way. Let's eat."

\n\n

For many years, Yuan Ye had only listened to Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi was a few years older than him and had been in the entertainment industry since he was young, handling things very maturely.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye was young, he actually relied on him, or rather admired him. Nobody would dislike a gentleman, but he couldn't live like Fang Shaoyi. He was destined to be a sharp and quirky person, very difficult to like.

\n\n

But after Fang Shaoyi spoke, Yuan Ye changed somewhat. When there were things that may not need to be said, he didn't speak up, anyway it wasn't just him who could speak on the set. The producer, art director, and even the cinematographer were all restricting Jiang Linchuan, not letting him add his own things to the movie.

\n\n

The screenwriter Little Gao said to Yuan Ye, "Brother Ye, just tell me how to change it, I'll do it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye tossed him a bottle of water and smiled, "Thanks."

\n\n

"Its only right," Little Gao took the water and replied, "You've been taking care of us too much."

\n\n

Being a bottom-tier screenwriter meant working hard and possibly not even getting credit or payment. Yuan Ye had done this work years ago and had almost not received his payment, but later the other side found out that he and Fang Shaoyi were related and eventually sent it over.

\n\n

Yuan Ye patted Little Gao on the back and said, "Take it slow."

\n\n

"Yeah, having a mentor really helps," Little Gao agreed.

\n\n

Yuan Ye stood on the set and dodged the stagehands carrying equipment, making way for them. Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and was surprised to see Chi Xing and Cheng Xun, followed by two assistants.

\n\n

"Visiting time!" Chi Xing smiled with his eyes curved, a very likable appearance. "Long time no see, Brother Yuan Ye!"

\n\n

Beside him, Cheng Xun also greeted him and called out, "Brother Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was surprised to see the two of them and stepped aside to make way, asking, "What are you two doing over here?"

\n\n

"We have a guest appearance at the film and television city," Chi Xing said.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked them, "Jian Xu's film?"

\n\n

"Mm, that's the one."

\n\n

The assistants distributed the gifts they brought and Yuan Ye suggested, "Let's have dinner together before you leave tonight."

\n\n

Unexpectedly, Yuan Ye's appearance on the variety show led to him making these two young friends, and it wasn't the kind of fake plastic friendship. Now that the show was over, the two kids spoke more honestly, saying whatever comes to mind.

\n\n

It wasn't until now that Yuan Ye realized that Chi Xing was actually a master of satire, as he complained about all the celebrities he had worked with, including Lin Tian and her husband who had been on the show together.

\n\n

He was so funny that even Fang Shaoyi couldn't help but laugh and told him, "Don't tell anyone else about this."

\n\n

"I won't, don't I always act cute in front of others?" Chi Xing looked innocent.

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed, "I thought you were a silly rabbit, but it turns out you're a sly fox?"

\n\n

"Well, I was just pretending," he admitted candidly. "I'm not really a naive and innocent guy, I'm actually quite cunning."

\n\n

Cheng Xun laughed and chimed in, "He had us all fooled with his innocent act. He used to act so pitiful in front of me, and I only helped him because he was always getting bullied in the group. But it turns out, he was just putting on a show."

\n\n

Chi Xing nodded in agreement, "Yes, it was all an act. You're the only genuine one here, and that's why I want to pursue you."

\n\n

The youths' energy was infectious, and spending time with them made it feel like they were years younger. They spent the whole evening listening to Chi Xing's gossip, and when he went too far, Cheng Xun would remind him to tone it down.

\n\n

Yuan Ye just laughed and said, "Let him speak his mind. Otherwise, he might explode from holding it all in for so long."

\n\n

In fact, they knew that Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi were trustworthy people, and anyway they were not even on the same level. They were almost a generation apart from Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

They were originally scheduled to take the 5pm flight, but changed it to the midnight flight just so they could have dinner. Yuan Ye drove them and their assistants to the airport in his business car, and on the way back, it was just him and Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

During their earlier conversation, Chi Xing mentioned that he also wanted to get married secretly like they did when they reached a certain age, without making a big fuss about it. Yuan Ye joked and said, "Isn't it better to stay in love forever? You can always be in the honeymoon phase."

\n\n

Chi Xing asked, "Then why did you insist on getting married back then?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye drove the car, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, and said, "I felt that getting married meant settling down for life, and that it would bring stability."

\n\n

"I think the same," said Chi Xing, looking at Cheng Xun.

\n\n

Cheng Xun pinched his ear with a smile in his eyes but didn't say anything.

\n\n

The rest of the words were not suitable to be said anymore, as they would only hurt. Marriage was just the beginning, not a guarantee for a lifetime.

\n\n

On the way back to the hotel, it was Yuan Ye driving, with Fang Shaoyi sitting in the passenger seat. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you regret getting married?"

\n\n

Without hesitation, Yuan Ye shook his head and said, "No regrets."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and said, "I thought you regretted it when you said that earlier."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, with a gentle curve at the corner of his eyes that sloped downwards. "Back then, we didn't think of ourselves as young. We felt mature. But now, looking at them, they still seem like children. Getting married at such a young age, isn't that just playing around? If they can even manage to understand each other in their relationship, that's already good enough. Marriage just sounds like a game to them."

\n\n

From his position, Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye.

\n\n

The arch of his eyebrows, the bridge of his nose, his thin lips, and the contours of his profile all indicated that he was a handsome and mature man. With his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a hint of his sexy biceps, he exuded a charm that only comes with age.

\n\n

Having gone through so much, he had gained a serene and distant look in his eyes.

\n\n

Yuan Ye suddenly turned to him and said, "The relationship formed by marriage is precious. When you're too young to have it, you don't know how to cherish it. Only when it's gone do you realize how much it hurts, but by then it's too late."

\n\n

These words touched him deeply, hitting the softest spot in his heart. Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and asked, "What about now?"

\n\n

"Now? Ha, there's a saying, 'Chasing your wife to the crematorium.'" Yuan Ye's eyes crinkled with a smile as he spoke.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi laughed too, and then heard Yuan Ye say, "When you lose the most precious thing, you realize that your bones have been sucked dry... Only the one who feels the pain knows how it hurts."

\n","published_time":"2023-10-22T22:18:17.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":385,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":30,"chapter_title":"Chapter 30","content":"

Like having your bones sucked dry.

\n\n

Truly, only those who have experienced it know exactly how it feels.

\n\n

Since Yuan Ye joined the crew, things have been different. He can now speak his mind freely, perhaps because he has already confirmed his feelings for Fang Shaoyi. He has a handle on their relationship, so there's no need to probe any further.

\n\n

Well, when it comes to personal emotions, everyone understands their own.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi is still being ostracized on set, and Director Jiang hasn't said anything about stopping it. So, he has to continue experiencing this feeling of being bullied. This is to make his expressions and demeanor more natural when he is being excluded and teased in the film, as if it happens every day.

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought that Fang Shaoyi would be able to act without having to experience all this.

\n\n

During lunch, Ji Xiaotao arrived late and found that all the food had been taken. He was surprised and exclaimed, "What kind of era is this?!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye's food was delivered to him by someone else, and he said to Ji Xiaotao, "Order something else to eat, this is pitiful."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao couldn't believe it and said, "Brother Ye, do you think the people in the crew are too immersed in their roles? They didn't even deliver our food. How many times has this happened?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi ate without any pressure and told him, "Order a pizza for me, we can eat two more slices later."

\n\n

As Ji Xiaotao grumbled while ordering takeout, he thought to himself that he would have to convince Brother Geng to turn down any future roles offered by Director Jiang. He couldn't handle the director's antics anymore.

\n\n

But they weren't the only ones suffering. When Ji Xiaotao placed his order, he also ordered one for Yang Siran. His assistant had been called back, leaving him alone on set. Geng Jinwei had told Ji Xiaotao to look after him if he needed anything, but otherwise, he was on his own. After all, his scenes would be finished in a few days.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao took care of everything he could, but most of the time, he didn't pay attention to him. To be honest, this little performer didn't even have as high a status in the company as Ji Xiaotao, who was Fang Shaoyi's assistant. He was a pretty good guy, otherwise someone like Yang Siran, a new and inexperienced person, would probably be ignored by everyone else.

\n\n

Their afternoon scene was difficult to shoot. Yang Siran was sitting on set in his sweatpants, which he had to take off for the scene. They were filming the part where Sen Cha's store was broken into and the money in the drawer was stolen. He rushed to find the landlord, who was napping at home and only wearing a tank top and boxers.

\n\n

Sen Cha suddenly pushed open the door, startling the landlord who jumped up from the couch and grabbed a pillow to cover himself.

\n\n

The look of a timid and embarrassed young man, who knew if Yang Siran could pull it off.

\n\n

When Ji Xiaotao handed him the pizza, he said, "Don't be nervous or shy. Even if you have to strip down for the sake of art, it's no big deal."

\n\n

Yang Siran felt a little embarrassed and nodded, saying, "I know. Thank you, Xiaotao."

\n\n

This scene wasn't difficult to act out. For talented newcomers, this type of expressive scene was relatively simple, while the more introverted scenes that required restraint were even harder for them to convey. Neither Fang Shaoyi nor the director had given Yang Siran much instruction for this scene. They wanted to see how he would perform on his own.

\n\n

With a slice of pizza in hand, Yuan Ye walked over to the director. The director scolded him, "Don't stand here and eat, don't you have any sense? You didn't even bring any for me and you're eating next to me?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye quickly ran back and brought the box over. There were still two pieces left, which he gave to Director Jiang to eat. Yuan Ye said, "I didn't know you also eat these, I would have brought them to you earlier!"

\n\n

"I really don't like it, but the box lunch is too terrible." The director took a bite and said while eating.

\n\n

Yuan Ye stood next to the director, watching the monitor. In the frame, Yang Siran was taking off his pants while Fang Shaoyi talked to him. The director held a walkie-talkie in his other hand, ready to shout "action" in a moment.

\n\n

Yang Siran sat on the couch in his underwear, hesitating to lie down. He bit his lip and looked a bit nervous. The director frowned, and Yuan Ye said, "He's just a kid, he'll get used to it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood in front of Yang Siran, with his back to the camera. Suddenly, he turned around and made a gesture, saying, "Wait a minute."

\n\n

The director asked through the walkie-talkie, "What's the problem?"

\n\n

"What's the problem, Brother Shaoyi?" the script supervisor asked.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "Just wait a moment, sorry." Then he bent down and said something to Yang Siran, who put on his pants and left with him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi led Yang Siran to the dressing room, and Ji Xiaotao came over to tease Yuan Ye, saying, "Brother Ye, my brother took a little boy away!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye finished his pizza and clapped his hands, then said with a straight face but not so serious tone, "Your brother is enjoying life, being chased by his ex-boyfriend all over the set while flirting with his rumored little boyfriend. Ah, what a life."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi and Yang Siran were gone for about twenty minutes. When they returned, Yang Siran had loosened up a bit and bowed to everyone apologetically, saying, "Sorry for keeping you all waiting."

\n\n

It was unclear how Fang Shaoyi instructed him privately, but Yang Siran was in a totally different state than before, acting how he should without hesitation. Ji Xiaotao steals glances at Yuan Ye, trying to gauge his mood. But Yuan Ye remained calm and collected, giving nothing away.

\n\n

This scene is easy to shoot, but it still took a while to get it right. As long as the scene didn't pass, Yang Siran couldn't put his pants back on, and his long, beautiful legs are always on display. Even though he quickly puts his pants on when the director yells "cut," it's still quite enticing.

\n\n

Yuan Ye thinks that Geng Jinwei has a great eye for talent. Who knows, maybe he'll be a cash cow in the future. But Fang Shaoyi and his team aren't focused on promoting big-name stars, otherwise he would definitely be even more successful.

\n\n

On set, smoking was prohibited, and Yuan Ye didn't have any cigarettes in his pocket. He reached in and felt around, finally pulling out one of Fang Shaoyi's throat lozenges and popped it into his mouth.

\n\n

All in all, it was a very serious scene, with no physical contact between the two actors. Yuan Ye had been on set before when Fang Shaoyi had to film some more intimate scenes, but he didn't think much of it.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a professional actor, and there was no need for him to be overly dramatic or intimate. Besides, Fang Shaoyi had his own principles and wouldn't take on roles that required kissing or overly intimate scenes.

\n\n

After the scene was over, Yang Siran put on his pants and quietly thanked Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and didn't say anything.

\n\n

That night, there was another shoot and Fang Shaoyi had to change his clothes and do his makeup. Yuan Ye was happily chatting with people on set when Fang Shaoyi returned and playfully flicked his head. Yuan Ye looked up at him and Fang Shaoyi gestured for him to follow before walking away.

\n\n

"I've got orders from my family's boss," Yuan Ye told the person next to him.

\n\n

He jumped up and chased after Fang Shaoyi, who led him to a small barber shop, the same one from the film. Fang Shaoyi held his neck and rinsed his head in the small pool, soaking his hair. It wasn't until then that Yuan Ye asked, "What are you doing, brother?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi held up the showerhead with one hand and lightly ran the other over Yuan Ye's head, saying softly, "Your hair is too long, let me give you a haircut."

\n\n

"Ah." Yuan Ye cooperated very well, bending over to let Fang Shaoyi wash his hair, then casually grabbed a towel to wipe himself off and sat in the chair.

\n\n

The two looked at each other in the mirror. The next scene was not being filmed here, people were coming and going outside, but there was no one else in the small shop at the moment except for the two of them. Fang Shaoyi held the trimmer and smiled at him in the mirror, asking, "How much do you want off?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye pulled over the cloth he had placed to the side and let Fang Shaoyi wrap it around him, then said, "Whatever you want."

\n\n

He never cared about his hair, he could even trim it himself with a trimmer. Fang Shaoyi liked to touch his short hair, so he shaved it extra short.

\n\n

Halfway through the trim, Yuan Ye laughed first, looking at himself in the mirror and saying, "You might as well just shave it all off for me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was quite satisfied with his work and said, "It looks good like this."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't really care and let him be.

\n\n

The store was quiet, with only the buzzing sound of an old-fashioned razor. Yuan Ye watched Fang Shaoyi in the mirror as he carefully shaved his head. It was a warm and tender scene, with a silent and alluring connection between the two.

\n\n

That day, Yuan Ye didn't go back early and waited for Fang Shaoyi to finish filming on set. It was already almost nine o'clock when he finished. The weather was nice, with a slight breeze that felt comfortable blowing on their bodies. Instead of taking the car back to the hotel, they walked slowly.

\n\n

Passing by a small supermarket, Yuan Ye went in to buy a box of cigarettes. He lit one up and Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything.

\n\n

On Yuan Ye, Yuan Ye took a drag of his cigarette and glanced at Fang Shaoyi before calling out to him, "Brother."

\n\n

"Mm," Fang Shaoyi responded.

\n\n

Suddenly, Yuan Ye asked him, "Do you prefer someone younger or older?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was initially taken aback, but then couldn't help but laugh. He reached up to touch Yuan Ye's freshly shaved head and asked, "What do you mean?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "I just suddenly feel old today."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were warm as he spoke, "When I'm young, I like someone young. When I'm old, I like someone old."

\n\n

This answer was flawless, as expected of Fang Shaoyi who never let anything slip. Yan took another drag of his cigarette and pointed at him, saying, "You're too cunning."

\n\n

That day, the two of them strolled leisurely down the street, slowly making their way back along the road. Sometimes they would come across a chair and sit for a while, chatting about whatever came to mind, feeling quite content. Fang Shaoyi told Yuan Ye that during filming that day, he noticed that Yang Siran had bruised his leg and it didn't look good on camera, so he helped cover it up.

\n\n

Yuan Ye squatted on a nearby stone stool, smoking and watching him, shaking his head. "I'm not curious about that at all."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi laughed and asked him, "Really? I thought you might be a little jealous, Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

Yuan Ye narrowed one eye and lifted his gaze to look at Fang Shaoyi. With the cigarette in his mouth, both of his arms were resting on his knees, a very casual and unrefined posture, but also very cool and full of energy. Yuan Ye just looked at Fang Shaoyi and said, "If I say I wasn't jealous, do you believe me?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and teased with a smile, borrowing the words Yuan Ye just said, "But he's young."

\n\n

Yuan Ye jumped down from the stone stool, only one step away from Fang Shaoyi. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and chuckled, still maintaining his arrogant attitude.

\n\n

"When you pursued me back then...I was only seventeen."

\n\n

"Now you're talking about someone in their twenties, I really don't care."

\n\n

"He's young? Who is younger than me?"

\n\n

The author has something to say:

\n\n

Uncle Ye: Who can be younger than me.

\n","published_time":"2023-10-29T18:51:10.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:31:28.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z"},{"content_id":393,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":31,"chapter_title":"Chapter 31","content":"

There was nothing wrong with what he said. No one was as young as Yuan Ye was.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi asked him then, "Do you like me?" and hit seventeen-year-old Yuan Ye on the head, he was stunned silly.

\n\n

Yuan Ye stuttered, "What like, like, like, what are you talking about?"

\n\n

Seeing his panicked expression, he couldn't bear it. After laughing, Fang Shaoyi waved at him and said, "I'm just teasing you, come here."

\n\n

Yuan Ye moved over and sat next to Fang Shaoyi, relieved, "You scared me, I thought you wanted to be my girlfriend."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi lightly tapped him with the script in his hand and said, "You're so silly."

\n\n

Yuan Ye scratched his head and said, "I never really thought about it."

\n\n

"Hmm," Fang Shaoyi stood behind him, looking at him with soft eyes and a gentle smile. "No rush."

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye had never really considered it before, he wasn't completely clueless. Even though Fang Shaoyi had said it as a joke, the current situation between them didn't feel quite right to Yuan Ye. And his inexplicable admiration for Fang Shaoyi, wanting to play with him and talk to him, all had to have a reason.

\n\n

He just hadn't thought about it carefully before. But Yuan Ye was never stupid, his mind was sharp.

\n\n

After thinking for a while, he wandered around the set with his head down, not paying attention and bumped into someone. Yuan Ye leaned back and apologized, "Sorry about that."

\n\n

The person in front of him was a middle-aged man in his forties, whom he often saw on set. Fang Shaoyi might have told him who he was, but he didn't really care. The man gently held onto his arm with both hands and smiled warmly, saying, "Be careful when you walk."

\n\n

His palms were sweaty and it was uncomfortable to be so close, but Yuan Ye didn't think too much about it. He just took a step back, broke free from the man's grasp, nodded his head, and walked away with his head down.

\n\n

He didn't know if he was overthinking or being too sensitive, but he felt that when he broke free just now, the man's fingers had flicked his arm. It might not have been intentional, but this unexpected touch made Yuan Ye feel uneasy. The sticky sensation on his arm made him uncomfortable.

\n\n

Two people carrying reflectors passed by him, shouting, "Excuse us, please!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye quickly jumped aside to make way for them, then looked around for Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi was talking to the director, so Yuan Ye walked over and stood behind him, keeping quiet and waiting for Fang Shaoyi to finish speaking. Fang Shaoyi glanced back at him, then turned back to the director and continued talking. He reached out and squeezed Yuan Ye's wrist as a greeting.

\n\n

After finishing his conversation, Fang Shaoyi pulled Yuan Ye aside and Yuan Ye extended his arm, pointing to where the middle-aged man had touched and said, "Touch it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't know what was on his mind again. Sometimes he couldn't connect with Yuan Ye's thought process, so he followed his gesture and touched his arm. Yuan Ye pointed to the other side and said, "This part too."

\n\n

"What's wrong?" Fang Shaoyi gently pinched his arm and asked, "Did you bump into something?"

\n\n

"No," Yuan Ye laughed at this moment and said, "I just wanted to feel it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't do anything about him, so he pinched the back of his neck and said, "You're always thinking about some messy things every day."

\n\n

It was definitely different. No matter how Fang Shaoyi touched him, it felt comfortable and there was no resistance at all. The uneasiness in his heart had been covered up. He didn't know why, but he felt a little sweet inside. Maybe he was starting to understand the teenage emotions that were so subtle and delicate.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at Fang Shaoyi, revealing his white teeth. "Brother Yi, I want to pursue someone!"

\n\n

This sentence made Fang Shaoyi's heart sink a little. He furrowed his brows and asked, "Who?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed carelessly and said, "The moon!"

\n\n

"What moon?" Fang Shaoyi said in a low voice. "You're still young, don't mess around with those things."

\n\n

"Haha, I'm turning 18 soon! I'm practically an adult, why can't I have a partner?" Yuan Ye looked at him and said, "I don't know how to pursue someone, can you teach me?"

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi didn't pay him any attention. He just threw him onto a small stool and turned to focus on filming. Yuan Ye stood there with one arm propped up, happily watching Fang Shaoyi work. He was wearing a white shirt and had short, clean-cut hair. He was incredibly handsome.

\n\n

Once some thoughts fall into place, they can spread like wildfire. While others his age were preoccupied with thoughts of their crushes, Yuan Ye found himself fixated on a handsome young man who was as pure as he was good-looking. But this young man was on a whole other level - he was practically a celebrity!

\n\n

They were worlds apart, with different backgrounds, social statuses, and lifestyles. Yuan Ye was like a monkey perched in a tree, while Fang Shaoyi was like a bright moon in the sky.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't think he had much going for him - he wasn't particularly likable, had a stubborn streak, and tended to be single-minded. But why not give it a shot and see where it goes? Even if he couldn't catch him, at least he could say he tried.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sent a text message to his friend Ning Lu: "How do you usually chase after girls?"

\n\n

Ning Lu shamelessly replied, "I never have to chase, the girls always chase after me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't buy his bragging and asked, "So how do the girls chase after you?"

\n\n

Ning Lu responded, "They come watch me play basketball, ask me out to eat, and even pass me love letters."

\n\n

Yuan Ye wasn't satisfied with these typical methods, as they had been overused in movies and TV shows. He thought they lacked creativity and were only suitable for chasing after someone like Ning Lu. For someone like his Brother Yi, these methods were too basic.

\n\n

Recently, Fang Shaoyi had been avoiding Yuan Ye because he was always asking for advice on how to pursue someone. Fang Shaoyi was unhappy about it but didn't want to be rude, so he just talked to him less.

\n\n

This monkey spent his days on set so who knew where he caught a moon from, even though he kept him by his side he still couldn't keep a proper eye on him.

\n\n

One night, while Fang Shaoyi was taking a shower, Yuan Ye knocked on the door and leaned against it, saying, "Brother Yi, I have something to give you."

\n\n

The sound of water was loud and Fang Shaoyi couldn't hear him clearly, thinking that he was asking for advice again. He said, "Wait till I'm out to talk."

\n\n

Yuan Ye just stood there waiting, and when Fang Shaoyi came out, he was already dressed. Yuan Ye pulled out something from behind and handed it to Fang Shaoyi, saying, "For you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a little surprised as he looked down at the wooden... trophy? It must be a trophy. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is this?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and scratched his head. "It's a trophy, for the movie emperor. I made it for you, hoping my Brother Yi will become a famous actor soon. It's a bit ugly, but I didn't have any tools. With tools, it could look a little better."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's heart swelled with warmth as he asked, "When did you make this?"

\n\n

"Just these past few days," Yuan Ye winked. "Haven't you noticed I haven't been hanging around the set watching you film?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi touched the monkey on top of the trophy and smiled softly. "I thought you were chasing after someone."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded. "Yeah, I am chasing after someone."

\n\n

The two of them locked eyes and fell silent. Fang Shaoyi's gaze was probing and questioning, while Yuan Ye's eyes were open and honest, as if to say, "Yes, I am chasing after you."

\n\n

Initially, Fang Shaoyi hadn't thought in this direction, mainly because when Yuan Ye uttered the word "moon," he couldn't help but feel that it didn't apply to him. The ups and downs of emotions before falling in love were bittersweet, and he was immersed in it, feeling only the beauty of it all. Who could bear to burst that bubble too soon?

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's lips curled into a beautiful arc as he asked, "What kind of award is this?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye licked his lips and said, "Golden...Monkey, it's the Golden Monkey Award."

\n\n

"Okay," Fang Shaoyi nodded and joked, "Thank you to the judges and presenters for this award."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed heartily for a while before saying, "No need to be polite, keep up the good work and continue to strive!"

\n\n

In fact, Yuan Ye was very skilled at making these things. After all, he grew up in the mountains since he was a child and didn't have any fancy gadgets, so he played with these primitive things. His grandfather was very good at carving things, and Yuan Ye learned from him with great interest. He could make things look very beautiful if he had a model to follow, but he couldn't do it without any guidance and tools.

\n\n

There were no handy tools for Yuan Ye to use on the set, and he hadn't done it in many years, so his hands were not used to it. He had been grinding the two knives in his hands for these days, and the blisters on his hands were caused by the grinding, which he simply tore off.

\n\n

He also accidentally cut himself a few times, but he didn't even bother to use a band-aid or pay attention to these minor injuries.

\n\n

But these injuries that he didn't care about caused someone's heart to feel sore, and it was like a sharp pain in their eyes.

\n\n

After taking a shower, Yuan Ye was washing his underwear in the bathroom when Fang Shaoyi walked by and heard him hiss in pain. Fang Shaoyi asked, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and said, "It's nothing, the water is just cold."

\n\n

"There's hot water," Fang Shaoyi walked over and turned on the faucet to adjust the temperature for him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye pushed him away with his shoulder and said, "No need, I can do it myself. You don't have to stand here while I wash my underwear, don't you think I'll be shy?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't help but laugh and said, "I've never seen you shy before."

\n\n

As he spoke, he looked down at Yuan Ye's hand and furrowed his brows. Fang Shaoyi turned off the faucet and grabbed Yuan Ye's hand to examine his fingers, his brows furrowing even more as he looked closer.

\n\n

On Yuan Ye's hands were actually many old injuries, all from playing too much in the mountains when he was young. There were a few round scars on his thumb from being bitten by rabbits. Originally, the blisters that had formed from the injuries would tear off and heal after two days, but he would still feel a sting if he touched water.

\n\n

Yuan Ye felt a bit embarrassed when he saw Fang Shaoyi staring at his hands and asked, "Brother Yi, what are you doing?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took a towel and gently wiped Yuan Ye's hands, then pulled him out and furrowed his brows, saying in a deep voice, "Don't touch water these next few days. Your hands are already like this, why are you still washing things? If you get an infection from touching soap water, won't it hurt?"

\n\n

"Haha, it's not that serious. You're being too cautious over a few small blisters," Yuan Ye pulled back his hand and said to him, "Look at me, I take a bath, wash my face, and wash my underwear every day, and I haven't gotten any infection. It's nothing. I've been like this since I was a kid, not as precious as you little stars."

\n\n

"Shut up," Fang Shaoyi said to him, "Don't do it again in the future."

\n\n

"That won't do," Yuan Ye shook his head, "I still have to pursue someone."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "Then change your method of pursuing."

\n\n

Yuan Ye leaned over to look at him and said with a raised eyebrow, "Then you teach me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at the small scar on his eyelid and nodded, "Okay, I'll teach you."

\n\n

The only thing in the room was band-aids, but using them on small wounds could actually make them worse. Fang Shaoyi held onto Yuan Ye's hand tightly and refused to let go. He needed to go out and find his assistant for a first aid kit, and Yuan Ye followed him.

\n\n

Although he didn't think it was necessary, being pulled along by Fang Shaoyi like this was actually quite nice, hehe.

\n\n

The assistant's room was on the floor below them, so Fang Shaoyi led Yuan Ye down the stairs and through a long hallway.

\n\n

A few people came out of a room, and Yuan Ye recognized the last person to come out as someone he had seen on set before. But as they got closer, Yuan Ye's eyes widened in surprise.

\n\n

A group of people were dragging someone out, with two people pulling his arms and someone else pulling his legs. The person being dragged had his back and butt on the ground the entire time. His pants weren't even properly on, and as he was being dragged, his butt was exposed.

\n\n

Suddenly, Fang Shaoyi let go of his hand and quickly turned around, covering Yuan Ye's eyes with his hand. He whispered to him, "Don't look...close your eyes."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's face had turned pale, and his eyelashes trembled in Fang Shaoyi's hand.

\n\n

Unfortunately, Fang Shaoyi was too late in blocking Yuan Ye's view, and he had already seen everything.

\n\n

The person being dragged was a special guest actor in the play, slightly better than an extra or a bit player, with several scenes. The reason why Yuan Ye remembered him was because this guy's nose looked a lot like Fang Shaoyi's, so Yuan Ye had looked at him several times and thought he was quite good-looking.

\n\n

Who knows, he might become popular in the future. But now, his face was deathly pale, with no signs of life, being dragged in such a miserable posture with his eyes closed and no movement at all.

\n\n

His pants and buttocks were covered in blood.

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye was rugged and wild, the environment in which he grew up was ultimately pure and clean. The mountains and rivers gave him a sense of belonging, and after leaving the mountains, he received a strict yet tolerant education from literary professors. He never had the opportunity to experience anything else.

\n\n

He was so naive that he didn't even know if he liked someone or how to pursue them. Suddenly, this terrifying scene was presented before him, and the psychological impact was strong.

\n\n

The group of people walked further and further away, dragging the guest actor towards the elevator. Fang Shaoyi still had his hand over Yuan Ye's eyes, and Yuan Ye reached up to grab Fang Shaoyi's hand, his fingertips cold.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi released his eyes, he stretched out his arms and embraced Yuan Ye, using his shoulder to shield his view. Yuan Ye's forehead knocked against Fang Shaoyi's shoulder, and Fang Shaoyi's breath surrounded him. Yuan Ye tried his best to capture his breath and sniffed the faint fragrance that could calm him down.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi held him in his arms and reached back to touch his head, gently rubbing his hard scalp while whispering in his ear, "Don't be afraid."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't lift his head, Fang Shaoyi's touch made him feel comfortable, and he wanted to fall asleep directly. He clung to Fang Shaoyi and breathed lightly.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's palm was warm and dry as he gently pressed it against Yuan Ye's scalp. Yuan Ye spoke softly, asking, "What happened to him, Brother Yi..."

\n\n

This was a question that Fang Shaoyi couldn't answer. Just moments ago, he had only been thinking about Yuan Ye's hand, and he hadn't even looked in the direction of those people. By the time he saw them, it was already too late. Otherwise, he would have covered Yuan Ye's eyes immediately.

\n\n

Whenever Fang Shaoyi talked about the things that happened on set, he never let Yuan Ye listen. He was too young and innocent, and Fang Shaoyi never wanted these things to taint his ears. But today, Yuan Ye had witnessed the worst scene firsthand.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's face was so dark that it was frightening. He repeated in a low and gentle voice to Yuan Ye's ear several times, "It's okay, don't be afraid."

\n\n

As Yuan Ye rubbed his forehead against Fang Shaoyi's body, his lips pressed against him and his voice sounded muffled. His mouth moved gently as he spoke, sending shivers down Fang Shaoyi's spine. Yuan Ye spoke in a hoarse voice, "Brother Yi, this circle...it's too scary."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes tightly, unable to say anything except to comfort Yuan Ye by rubbing his head.

\n\n

The author has something to say:

\n\n

Monkey Yuan, at seventeen years old, was tender, mischievous, and obedient.

\n","published_time":"2023-11-06T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-06T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":401,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":32,"chapter_title":"Chapter 32","content":"

That day, Fang Shaoyi kept telling Yuan Ye not to be afraid. Actually, Yuan Ye wasn't afraid, but that image of the youth being dragged away was constantly replaying in his mind. He could always remember the lifeless face of the youth.

\n\n

"Is he...dead?" Yuan Ye asked.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, "No."

\n\n

This wasn't just to comfort Yuan Ye. As an assistant director, he couldn't actually play with someone's life. At most, he lost control and went too far. Fang Shaoyi's face didn't look good either. After he finished getting the first aid kit, he came back to tend to the small wounds on Yuan Ye's hand. Yuan Ye's hand was placed in his palm, and his fingers were still cold.

\n\n

After Fang Shaoyi finished tending to him, he pinched Yuan Ye's hand and softly said, "Don't think about it, go to sleep?"

\n\n

"Mm." Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Okay."

\n\n

After tidying up, Fang Shaoyi stood up and patted Yuan Ye's head. Due to the unexpected incident, Fang Shaoyi decided to send Yuan Ye away and let him return to school. He couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't run into those people they saw that day again, and if they did, it would surely make Yuan Ye scared or nervous. He had only let Yuan Ye come because he thought he knew the director well and didn't expect any problems, but accidents still happened.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye heard that he had to leave, he nodded at first, but then shook his head and said, "I won't go. I'll stay with you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "I don't need company."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook its head and didn't want to go. He knew that Fang Shaoyi's background made him safe no matter where he went, but he still felt uneasy and didn't want to leave him alone on the set, even though he couldn't do anything here.

\n\n

This incident extinguished some of the fire in Yuan Ye's heart. He still liked and missed Fang Shaoyi just as much, but his emotions were now split in half due to the tension and fear in this industry. This kind of tension and fear gradually makes people resistant and if they hear too much about the dirty and shameless things that happen, this resistance can turn into disgust.

\n\n

The disgust that emanates from the heart makes one feel that behind this extravagant and glamorous industry lies darkness and ugliness.

\n\n

The young actor was never seen on set again, and his scenes may be replaced. But the group of people who dragged him away that night were seen afterwards, acting as if nothing had happened, going about their business and laughing as usual. It was a disgusting incident, revealing the darkest side of human nature.

\n\n

Before, Yuan Ye had been pestering Fang Shaoyi to teach him how to pursue someone, but there had been no progress. Now, he followed Fang Shaoyi around like a little lackey, watching him closely and staying alert. Fang Shaoyi didn't mind having him around, since his own scenes was not going to last much longer anyway.

\n\n

During a moment of leisure, Fang Shaoyi asked Yuan Ye, "Aren't you pursuing anymore?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Of course I am, I have to."

\n\n

"Then why haven't I heard anything from you?" Fang Shaoyi asked him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye licked his lips and whispered, "I won't pursue further here. I'll continue after I go back."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were gentle as he nodded and said, "Okay."

\n\n

This place was too dirty. Any emotions placed here would be contaminated. It wasn't just the fact that a group of people had turned a young man into that state, but also the fact that they could easily do it to anyone and continue on with their work on set. There might even be a next person, and a next person after that.

\n\n

It wasn't that no one knew about it, but those who saw it were blind, and those who heard it were deaf, including himself.

\n\n

Everything was so dirty.

\n\n

This place no longer made Yuan Ye as happy as before. Although he still appeared the same afterwards, Fang Shaoyi could sense the difference. He couldn't completely relax here.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi applied his makeup, Yuan Ye sat in a chair beside him. The process took over half an hour, and eventually Yuan Ye fell asleep, his head resting on the nearby makeup table. After finishing his own makeup, Fang Shaoyi draped his clothes over Yuan Ye's body and sat beside him, admiring his features.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's face and neck were not particularly fair, as he spent his summers running around outside and had a healthy, wheat-colored complexion. His eyelids were thin, his eyelashes long, and there was a small scar near the corner of his eye. Fang Shaoyi found the scar endearing and even amusing, as it added character to Yuan Ye's face.

\n\n

With a small brush in hand and a hint of a smile on his lips, Fang Shaoyi lightly dabbed some powder onto the little indentation left by the scar. His movements were too gentle, which tickled a bit. Yuan Ye's eyelashes trembled twice before he opened his eyes to see Fang Shaoyi's hand in front of him.

\n\n

Without moving, Yuan Ye asked while lying down, "What are you doing, Brother Yi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled at him and asked softly, "Do you want me to add some light to you?"

\n\n

"Sure," Yuan Ye laughed while lying down, his laughter was simple and natural. He asked, "What kind of light?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi thought for a moment and looked into his eyes, "Moonlight, how about that?"

\n\n

He was too gentle, too gentle. Fang Shaoyi's tenderness made Yuan Ye's heart feel soft, like a ball of cotton that had been sun-dried all day. Yuan Ye reached out and touched the wooden handle of the small brush in Fang Shaoyi's hand, blinked and said, "That would be great."

\n\n

The sun and the moon are different. The sun is dazzling and scorching, it gives you light, but you dare not look at it, and you know you can't touch it. The moon is different, it's also bright and beautiful, you can stare at it for a long time without hurting your eyes. It's always clear and cold, and its light is always soft and quiet.

\n\n

So even though Fang Shaoyi is so warm and dazzling, Yuan Ye never thought of him as the sun. He should be the moon, elegant and noble.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi said he would fill moonlight in his eyes, it was really great.

\n\n

Later, Yuan Ye got used to touching his own eyes, touching the pit on his eyelids. It should have been ugly, but he didn't think it was ugly anymore.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was a carefree and reckless young man. A minor incident on set had affected him for a few days, but it didn't keep him down for long. After Fang Shaoyi applied moonlight to his eyes, Yuan Ye felt alive again and decided to address the things he had put off before.

\n\n

He began to think about the young man he had feelings for, and his teenage emotions started to stir up again.

\n\n

However, he was determined not to pursue him on set. Although his mood had improved, he still harbored some resentment towards the crew.

\n\n

When they returned, summer vacation was not yet over, and both of them went home separately. Yuan Ye's family knew about his acquaintance with Fang Shaoyi, and also knew that Yuan Ye had gone to the film crew during the summer vacation. Yuan Ye didn't talk much about the film crew when he went home, but he would mention Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

His family never cared about who he made friends with, as long as he was happy. Besides, even if they wanted to control him, they couldn't, and even if they did, he wouldn't listen.

\n\n

At night, Yuan Ye would send love poems to Fang Shaoyi's phone, written in a very subtle and artistic way. He could write dozens of them with his eyes closed, and would occasionally send them to Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi didn't know how to respond to these things most of the time, and would usually just reply with a simple "Got it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye would then ask, "Brother Yi, if I were pursuing someone and they responded to me as coldly as you do, what would that mean?"

\n\n

After a while, Fang Shaoyi replied to him: "He's happy."

\n\n

"If he's happy, he'll just say "Got it" like this?" asked Yuan Ye.

\n\n

"Yes, it's like this when someone's happy," replied Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Yuan Ye: "Oh..."

\n\n

Occasionally, Fang Shaoyi would send a text message to Yuan Ye, telling him, "If you're pursuing someone, you should take the initiative to call him."

\n\n

As soon as Yuan Ye saw the message, he immediately made the call and greeted Fang Shaoyi with a cheerful "Good evening, Brother Yi!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice sounded particularly pleasant over the phone, "Good evening to you too."

\n\n

"I want to go back to school," Yuan Ye told Fang Shaoyi. "When are you going back, Brother Yi?"

\n\n

"You just need to let me know when you're going back," replied Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

"If I go back, will you come back too?" Yuan Ye squatted in the yard, pulling out some weeds from between the bricks.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied with a simple "Mm."

\n\n

The next day, Yuan Ye sent a text message to Fang Shaoyi saying, "Brother Yi, I've gone back."

\n\n

Guan Zhou had also returned, and Yuan Ye sat cross-legged on his bed in the dormitory, eating ice cream. Guan Zhou asked him, "Brother Ye, was the crew interesting? Did you see any celebrities?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and said, "Not interesting."

\n\n

Guan Zhou laughed and said, "Then why did you go?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought to himself, 'I regret it too. I don't want to go anymore.' But Fang Shaoyi would have to go to countless other crews in the future, and if he went, Yuan Ye would probably still want to go.

\n\n

Later that evening, Fang Shaoyi called Yuan Ye and said he would arrive in an hour and they could have dinner together. Yuan Ye hung up the phone and told Guan Zhou, "I won't eat with you tonight."

\n\n

With a puzzled expression, Guan Zhou asked, "We agreed to have meat together tonight, but now you're backing out?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "You can find someone else to eat with, I'll cover the meal expenses."

\n\n

Guan Zhou was confused, "What's going on with you, Brother Ye? Who called you and made you ditch me so easily?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye was frank, "Brother Yi."

\n\n

"Your Brother Yi," Guan Zhou frowned and was speechless, "Your Brother Yi is even ahead of your girlfriend."

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled, "That's great news." He received a text message and read it while saying, "I dream of him being my boyfriend."

\n\n

The message was from Fang Shaoyi, short and to the point: "Chasing someone, roses. Five will do."

\n\n

He almost scared Guan Zhou to death with those words, he leaned in to carefully examine Yuan Ye's face, then repeated his question, "What do you mean by 'you dream of him...'?"

\n\n

"Take it literally," Yuan Ye pocketed his phone and walked out, leaving Guan Zhou with only a parting remark, "I'm chasing him."

\n\n

Guan Zhou didn't even have time to ask Yuan Ye any further questions before he ran off. It wasn't the kind of thing you could shout down the hallway. Watching Yuan Ye's back as he ran away, Guan Zhou felt like his soul had gone stiff. He had never heard Yuan Ye talk about these things before, nor had he ever seen him pursue anyone.

\n\n

They had grown up together, and Yuan Ye had never had any romantic inclinations, only knowing how to play around and act foolish. To suddenly hear him say he was going after someone, Guan Zhou never would have guessed it would be Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

He was a man, and a movie star at that.

\n\n

Wow. Has he gone crazy?

\n\n

Yuan Ye squatted at the school gate waiting for Fang Shaoyi, until he saw him pushing a suitcase over. Yuan Ye jumped up and ran over, greeting him with a smile. He had both hands free, and not a single flower in sight.

\n\n

He asked Yuan Ye, "Why didn't you wait in the dorm? It's hot outside. And where's your key?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye scratched his head and said, "I forgot it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at the thin layer of sweat on his forehead and asked, "Don't you usually jump through the window?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye usually climbed through the small window above the door when he forgot his key, so Fang Shaoyi never locked it. Yuan Ye shook his head, smiled vaguely, and didn't say anything.

\n\n

It was suffocating to stay in the dorm, and it made him...very shy.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had to put down his things before they could go out to eat. He led Yuan Ye back to the dormitory and asked him to wait while he a shower first.

\n\n

Yuan Ye absentmindedly nodded in response.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pushed open the door, but his movement paused for a moment before he turned back to look at Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye turned his head to the side, not looking at him.

\n\n

Inside the dormitory room, small bunches of bright red roses were scattered everywhere. There were a few on the chairs, a few on the table, a few on the cabinet, and a big pile on the bed.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi wanted to laugh, but he held back and asked Yuan Ye softly, "What's going on?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye tugged at his ear and shook his head hard, "I don't know...maybe."

\n","published_time":"2023-11-13T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-13T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":409,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":33,"chapter_title":"Chapter 33","content":"

It was impossible to stay any longer in the room. After that night, Yuan Ye refused to stay at Fang Shaoyi's place and went back after dinner.

\n\n

He couldn't stand the sight of all those roses, feeling embarrassed because he had never done anything like that before. Seeing that he was so shy, Fang Shaoyi also couldn't bear to ask him where the flowers came from, so they both remained silent about it.

\n\n

That night, Fang Shaoyi sent him a text message: "Have you gotten back yet?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye immediately replied: "Yes, I'm already lying down."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi scolded him: "You're so restless. You still have to come tomorrow."

\n\n

Yuan Ye bit his lip and replied: "I won't stay at your place."

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought to himself, 'Your bed is full of flowers, it's too prickly.'

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much, only wishing him good night and telling him to sleep early.

\n\n

Yuan Ye also replied: "Good night, Brother Yi!"

\n\n

One of them was always eager to pursue, while the other had already seen through everything and enjoyed the ambiguous sweetness every day. They were both content in their own ways.

\n\n

This was the first time Yuan Ye had ever pursued someone, and he felt a great sense of accomplishment. He didn't know if Fang Shaoyi knew that he was the one being pursued, but he felt it was quite obvious. However, things like this were often uncertain for those involved. But he wasn't in a hurry, chasing after someone was quite interesting, haha.

\n\n

Yuan Ye called home and asked his mother, "Mom, I'm almost 18 years old now, can I start dating? I'm about to graduate from college."

\n\n

"Who do you want to date?" Mrs. Lin, his mother, didn't quite agree. "You're still so young, what kind of partner can you have? Don't mess around."

\n\n

Back then, no one at home knew that Yuan Ye had his eyes on a young man. They thought he was like any other boy his age, with a crush on a girl. Yuan Ye said, "I'm not telling you who it is, but I'm not fooling around. This isn't considered early love!"

\n\n

His mother didn't really want to interfere. After all, how could she control a mischievous boy his age? Let him be.

\n\n

After hanging up, Yuan Ye called Fang Shaoyi. He was particularly active in making phone calls now, shouting as soon as the call was connected, "Brother Yi! Want to watch a movie?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What movie?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "Let's watch a romance movie!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's warm voice came through, "Okay."

\n\n

Yuan Ye loved hearing Fang Shaoyi's "okay" every time. It was a sign that he was a particularly gentle person.

\n\n

Before watching the movie, Yuan Ye didn't forget to buy a flower. He held it between his fingers and stuffed it into Fang Shaoyi's pocket the moment he say him, with only the head of the flower still showing. Yuan Ye flicked the flower and said, "There was a little girl selling flowers. I bought one because she looked too hot in this weather."

\n\n

The stem was in his pocket and the flower was hanging out, which didn't look good and was hard to carry. Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye's lowered head and smiled, taking the flower out of his pocket and holding it in his hand. He said, "You even remembered to bring a flower."

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked up at him, then lowered his head again and whispered, "Isn't that...what you taught me?"

\n\n

It was already quite obvious what he meant, but Fang Shaoyi didn't burst that bubble and didn't respond to Yuan Ye's words.

\n\n

As they watched the movie, Yuan Ye breathed a sigh of relief but also worried about why Fang Shaoyi couldn't understand the hints. How else could he explain it to him?

\n\n

The movie wasn't that great, or maybe Yuan Ye was just too picky. He didn't think the male lead was handsome enough and the story wasn't exciting enough. In fact, how exciting could a romance movie be? Yuan Ye's mind wandered halfway through the film.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a celebrity, so he had to be careful not to be recognized when going out in public. He always wore a baseball cap with the brim pulled down low. Yuan Ye turned to look at Fang Shaoyi and admired his profile under the cap.

\n\n

Before, he had simply thought he was handsome, but now every time he looked at him, he couldn't help but think, "When will I ever catch up to someone as amazing as him?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi felt his gaze and turned to him, mouthing the words, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and gave him a silly smile.

\n\n

Their ambiguous relationship began in the summer when Yuan Ye was seventeen, like a cup of sweet lemon tea. Once, Yuan Ye wrote in his journal, "That summer in my memories, I may spend my whole life reminiscing about it. It was too beautiful. Before it, my world was a chaotic land, but after it, I had an everlasting peaceful moonlight."

\n\n

At seventeen, falling in love felt like a matter of life and death for Yuan Ye. His heart was completely occupied by Fang Shaoyi, and the more inexperienced the boy was, the more tumultuous his emotions became. However, Yuan Ye was not completely blinded by his infatuation.

\n\n

He knew deep down that there was a distance between him and Fang Shaoyi, so he didn't force anything. If they were meant to be together in the future, that would be great. But if not, he just wanted to make sure he wouldn't have any regrets. He worked hard to pursue his feelings, but if it didn't work out, he wouldn't regret it. This was something he and Fang Shaoyi both agreed on.

\n\n

As they walked slowly around the small lake on campus, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi brushed arms occasionally. The brief contact between their skin sent shivers down their spines. Yuan Ye gazed at the lake and suddenly said, "Brother Yi, if I ever say something that scares you, will you stop being friends with me?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and smiled, shaking his head. "You can't scare me. Just say what you need to say."

\n\n

Yuan Ye blinked and after a while, said, "I don't know what your response will be after you hear what I have to say, but I hope it's a good one."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him softly, "And if it's not?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye pursed his lips and thought for a moment before saying, "I'm pretty happy too, as long as I tried my best. Human desires are endless, not every excessive wish needs to be fulfilled, why should it be? Anyway, I tried my best and that's pretty brave of me. I'm quite proud of myself."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and saw the brave boy in front of him. He raised his hand and gently rubbed Yuan Ye's head, from front to back, and said, "Being brave is always right. I won't let you down."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "I hope so... what I want is too extravagant."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi always wanted to leave the opportunity to properly end this period of ambiguity to Yuan Ye. He had been pursuing him for so long, and he must have been so happy to finally succeed. So Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything else at the time, afraid that he would reveal too much.

\n\n

Every time Yuan Ye laughed carelessly at him, this thought would pop up in his mind. This sentence had crossed Fang Shaoyi's mind many times.

\n\n

...What could you want that I wouldn't give you?

\n\n

Yuan Ye had already decided to speak his mind, regardless of the outcome. He just wanted to get it over with. But before he could even prepare himself, Fang Shaoyi suddenly caused a scandal, leaving Yuan Ye completely bewildered.

\n\n

Back then, the biggest media outlets were newspapers and television. Yuan Ye looked at the newspaper his roommate brought back, and there was a big headline that said Fang Shaoyi and Chen Yuange were suspected of being in love.

\n\n

Yuan Ye stared at it for a while, realizing that Fang Shaoyi hadn't been at school for the past few days because he went to a gala. The picture in the newspaper showed Chen Yuange wearing Fang Shaoyi's coat, and they looked very close.

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew Chen Yuange. She was three years younger than Fang Shaoyi and they were family friends. Chen Yuange's father, Chen Weilin, and Fang Han were old friends, and Fang Shaoyi and Chen Yuange had known each other since they were young.

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye didn't really believe it, he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. News like this was always hard to distinguish between truth and lies. Even with his close relationship with Fang Shaoyi, he couldn't be sure about this. But Yuan Ye wasn't the type to keep things bottled up inside, he always wanted to ask Fang Shaoyi about everything first.

\n\n

So, Yuan Ye sent a text message: "Brother Yi, are you in a relationship?"

\n\n

It took a while for Fang Shaoyi to reply: "Who am I in a relationship with?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied: "Chen Yuange."

\n\n

After a while, Fang Shaoyi replied and asked: "What do you think? Who do you think I'm in a relationship with?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought to himself, 'I think you're in a relationship with me, but I can't say that.'

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat on the chair and scratched his head before replying: "I don't know."

\n\n

This time, Fang Shaoyi didn't respond, as the words "I don't know" from Yuan Ye pierced his heart. The silly monkey said he didn't know, who knew what nonsense was filling up his head everyday.

\n\n

For the next two days, the two of them didn't contact each other, nor did they call or text. Yuan Ye was anxious, while Fang Shaoyi waited for Yuan Ye to make the first move. But Yuan Ye was too passive, so in the end, Fang Shaoyi took the initiative and sent a message before going back: "How do you expect to chase someone if you're not proactive?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied at lightning speed, as if he had been holding his phone the whole time: "When are you coming back, Brother Yi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him: "Why?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied: "I miss you!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's temper disappeared instantly. He told Yuan Ye: "I'll be back tonight."

\n\n

After sending that message, he immediately followed up with another one: Confess already.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was used to following whatever instructions Fang Shaoyi gave him, and he could usually get away with being vague about it afterwards. But today, he knew he couldn't be vague about it.

\n\n

He put down his phone and started rummaging through his things, looking for the love poems he had written. He found several stacks of them, but couldn't find one that he was satisfied with. He tried to write a new one, but he was too flustered and couldn't come up with anything. He spent a long time searching, and by the time Fang Shaoyi arrived, he hadn't even had time to buy a flower.

\n\n

He told Fang Shaoyi to meet him by the lake, but when Fang Shaoyi got there, he couldn't find Yuan Ye. He searched around for a while, and just as he was about to call him, he heard a voice from above: "Brother Yi, over here!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi followed the sound and his eyebrows jumped as he saw Yuan Ye sitting on a tree with one leg crossed and the other hanging down, holding a willow branch. Fang Shaoyi walked over and looked up at him, saying, "Come down."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at him, looked around and saw no one, then said, "Then catch me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was surprised and replied, "How can I catch you? Come down carefully, or you'll fall."

\n\n

But Yuan Ye didn't listen and jumped down towards Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi instinctively reached out to catch him, but it was too difficult and he wasn't given enough time to prepare. He couldn't catch him at all, and Yuan Ye fell down in a very awkward position.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi frowned and squatted down to look at him. He was a bit angry but mostly helpless. "Why are you so mischievous? Did you break anything?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye had something on his mind but couldn't say it in front of Fang Shaoyi. He quickly rolled on the ground and then grabbed Fang Shaoyi's arm, agilely jumping onto his back like a monkey.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was originally in a squatting position, but with Yuan Ye's sudden pounce, he had to use his hands to prop himself up before standing up. Ignoring the dirt that covered Yuan Ye from rolling on the ground, he turned around with Yuan Ye on his back and said helplessly, "What's wrong with you today?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye handed the willow branch he was still holding to Fang Shaoyi and shook it. "I didn't have time to buy flowers today, so you can use this as a flower instead."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked down at the willow branch and reached out to take it, laughing, "Can this really be used? It's too perfunctory."

\n\n

"It can be used, they're all plants, the same thing," Yuan Ye lay on Fang Shaoyi's back, his arms around his neck, his face close to Fang Shaoyi's ear as he said, "Brother Yi, I have something to say, but I can't look at you, so I'll just say it like this."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi already knew what he was going to say and nodded gently, saying in a warm voice, "Go ahead."

\n\n

Yuan Ye rubbed his face against Fang Shaoyi's body and pressed his mouth close to Fang Shaoyi's ear, as if this would make his voice quieter and he wouldn't be so embarrassed.

\n\n

When he spoke, his mouth even touched Fang Shaoyi's ear, it was ticklish and enticing, making Fang Shaoyi's shoulder go numb.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi heard Yuan Ye take a deep breath. Then, in a loud voice, he said, "Brother Yi, I want to be in a relationship with you."

\n","published_time":"2023-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-10-01T22:23:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-11-20T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":417,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":34,"chapter_title":"Chapter 34","content":"

Therefore, Yuan Ye's statement "Who is younger than me" was not without reason. When he and Fang Shaoyi first got together, he were indeed very young, almost still dewy-eyed. All of his knowledge about emotions came from Fang Shaoyi, whether it was about pursuing someone or being in a relationship, it was always with the same person.

\n\n

However, Fang Shaoyi could quite accept his other statement, "When you pursued me".

\n\n

"I pursued you?" Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Wasn't it you who pursued me?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye was no longer the same as when he was a naive teenager. He had long seen through all the complicated emotions between people. Now, as an uncle at the age of 33, he pointed at Fang Shaoyi, shrugged his shoulders and laughed, calling, "You're a big-tailed wolf! You just watched me foolishly chase after you, pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger."

\n\n

"Are you the tiger?" Fang Shaoyi shook his head and walked slowly forward, saying, "You were nothing more than a little puppy back then."

\n\n

Walking in the comfortable night, under the moonlight, Yuan Ye caught up from behind and reminisced about the past, feeling quite emotional. He had once risked everything to love Fang Shaoyi, brave and fearless, but in the end, he had lost him.

\n\n

Out of nowhere, Yuan Ye reached out and grabbed Fang Shaoyi's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Their fingers were both warm. Yuan Ye smiled and looked up at Fang Shaoyi, saying "thank you" to him when their eyes met. He didn't say why he was grateful, and Fang Shaoyi didn't ask.

\n\n

That day, they came back late, and Ji Xiaotao couldn't help but stare at them suspiciously, as if trying to uncover some scandalous affair. Yuan Ye pushed his face away as he walked by and sat down on the couch, saying, "You're making me nervous with all that staring. If you keep acting like this, I'll have your boss fire you and get a new, more relaxed assistant."

\n\n

Ignoring their complaints, Ji Xiaotao poured water for the two of them and said, "I'm just saying, even if I get you a new assistant, the two of you still wouldn't be able to take care of yourselves."

\n\n

Yuan Ye took the water and blew on it for a while before taking a sip and saying, "Your skin is so thick, it could cover the entire Pacific Ocean."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao laughed and chatted with Yuan Ye while Fang Shaoyi went to take a shower. After he finished, Yuan Ye said goodbye and went upstairs to rest. Following the crew every day was tiring, so he wanted to take a shower and go to bed early.

\n\n

After Yuan Ye left, Fang Shaoyi said to Ji Xiaotao, "If you have time, go talk to Yang Siran."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao raised an eyebrow and asked, "What for? Is something wrong with him?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained expressionless and simply said, "Just see if he's having any difficulties."

\n\n

After following Fang Shaoyi for so long, Ji Xiaotao could understand him without needing to say much. He looked at Fang Shaoyi in disbelief and asked, "Really? We're still here, who could bully him? Director Jiang's crew is pretty strict..."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much, just told Ji Xiaotao to ask when he had the chance. After all, that person was from their company, and if something really happened under his nose, he couldn't just ignore it.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao nodded and said, "Okay, I'll find a chance to ask. He seems to have a thin skin, I'm afraid he won't be able to handle it."

\n\n

During the day, Fang Shaoyi bent down and said something to Yang Siran in front of the camera before leading him to the dressing room. Although no one spoke about it, there was a subtle tension in the air as everyone exchanged glances, especially as Yuan Ye was present. Fang Shaoyi didn't bother explaining too much to Yuan Ye, simply saying that his leg was bruised and he needed to cover it up.

\n\n

This was just his personality - he wasn't the type to meddle in other people's affairs, regardless of their status or whether it was Yuan Ye or not.

\n\n

In the afternoon, Yang Siran sat on the sofa feeling a bit nervous. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was reluctant to take off his pants. Watching him, it was clear that he had something on his mind. Eventually, he took off his pants and as Fang Shaoyi approached, he saw the ambiguous marks on his thighs. Some were blue, while others were a faded yellow.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was experienced and knew exactly what those marks meant. Regardless of whether Yang Siran was from their company or just a young actor, Fang Shaoyi would take care of him when needed. Having those marks on his legs would be a big problem for an actor, especially if they were caught on camera.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi frowned and turned to the surrounding staff, saying, "Wait a minute."

\n\n

He only told Yuan Ye that his leg was bruised, but didn't explain how it happened. Yuan Ye was most annoyed by the dirty deals in the industry, and Fang Shaoyi couldn't explain too clearly to him.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was also puzzled by this. It shouldn't have happened. Geng Jinwei was disdainful of artists selling themselves for resources and never gave them any hints to do so. Their reputation in the industry was good, and Geng Jinwei had his ways, but he never pitted anyone like that.

\n\n

Moreover, being signed under Fang Shaoyi's studio meant they wouldn't lack resources. Director Jiang himself had nothing to do with such messy affairs, and his team wouldn't dare to act recklessly.

\n\n

Therefore, unless Yang Siran did it voluntarily, no one could really do anything to him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said didn't care much about it, and he really didn't. Before he arrived, Yang Siran and Fang Shaoyi had already made the news, but Yuan Ye was always polite to him and even called him "little brother" when they spoke. At his age, he couldn't be bothered with petty jealousy towards younger people, nor did he have the patience for such things.

\n\n

Sometimes he didn't wake up early in the morning and would leisurely stroll to the set after finishing his breakfast. When Fang Shaoyi was filming, Yuan Ye would bring a small stool and sit next to him to watch. When there was no scene for him, Yuan Ye would wander around aimlessly.

\n\n

Old Tu sent him a message on his phone, asking when he would return and telling him that a new batch of good tea had arrived at the teahouse and inviting him to come and taste it.

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "I don't know if we'll have a break for the Lunar New Year. If we do, I'll go back home. If not, I'll just stay with the crew."

\n\n

Old Tu sent another message: "My girl asked me to give you some encouragement, wishing you success in your pursuit soon."

\n\n

On the way, Yuan Ye was looking down at his phone and accidentally bumped into someone. He quickly dodged to the side and apologized without looking back. The other person was a small worker from the film crew who also quickly apologized, "Sorry, Yuan Ye-laoshi."

\n\n

Yuan Ye waved his hand and smiled, "It's okay."

\n\n

When he arrived on set, he habitually went to find Fang Shaoyi, but found that he looked a bit unwell and was resting with a thin blanket covering him. Yuan Ye quietly asked Ji Xiaotao, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao replied, "He's not feeling well. They applied new paint on the wall last night, the smell is too strong, and he's been filming next to it all morning."

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and asked, "Why did they paint it?"

\n\n

"Well, last night the director and his team studied the footage and thought the colors were too bright. They stayed up all night to adjust the paint," replied Ji Xiaotao, annoyed.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't handle strong smells and had a headache. They were filming the tailor shop in the small town for the next few days, and the actors had to leave as soon as they finished filming. They would have to endure the smell for several days.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked down at Fang Shaoyi, who was probably asleep. His blanket had slipped off his blanket and he still hadn't moved.

\n\n

As Yuan Ye pulled the blanket back up, he asked Ji Xiaotao, "Did you bring the menthol oil?"

\n\n

"I did," Ji Xiaotao replied, taking it out of his pocket. "I was just about to apply it, but he wouldn't let me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye took a bit of ointment on his two fingers and bent down to gently massage Fang Shaoyi's temples.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes and Yuan Ye whispered, "Let me massage you for a while, continue sleeping."

\n\n

The massage did help relieve some of the tension, and Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and drifted off immediately. Ji Xiaotao brought over a chair for Yuan Ye to sit on, but he shook his head and declined, as it was too far out of reach.

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew that Fang Shaoyi had a weak sense of smell and that exposure to strong odors could cause him discomfort for several days. Every time he saw Fang Shaoyi in pain, Yuan Ye had the urge to tell him to stop acting.

\n\n

He started acting since he was young, and now he's already 36 years old. He works too hard, but it's been better in recent years. In the past, he took on a lot of fight scenes and always ended up getting hurt. At that time, Yuan Ye often felt upset and didn't want him to continue doing this. But now, he has a different perspective.

\n\n

With age comes understanding. Everyone has something they hold onto and love, and if you gain a lot, you naturally have to pay a corresponding price.

\n\n

During lunch, Fang Shaoyi didn't eat anything and had no appetite. His head felt heavy and he thought it was going to explode. Yuan Ye always carried some menthol oil with him, and as soon as Fang Shaoyi finished filming, he would immediately apply some and massage his head.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao secretly took a photo of the two of them and sent it to Jian Xu's assistant, Dong Lin, and boasted a little: "My two lovebirds are always so affectionate, but they still haven't remarried. I wonder what kind of game they're playing."

\n\n

Dong Lin sent him a "awkward yet polite smile" emoji, then asked, "What's wrong with Brother Shaoyi? He looks uncomfortable."

\n\n

"Oh, it's nothing. Just some paint fumes," Ji Xiaotao replied.

\n\n

Dong Lin asked, "Hey, is it serious?"

\n\n

"If you 'hey' me again, I'll block you," Ji Xiaotao threatened.

\n\n

Dong Lin sent two more emojis and said, "Hahahahahaha, okay, I won't send anymore."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was like a mother about to marry off her daughter, unable to contain his excitement. He said to Dong Lin, "Actually, my brother, even though he's uncomfortable from the fumes, it's not like he's possessed by Daiyu*. Brother Ye is here, so he's being a bit of a drama queen over a minor ailment. It's different when there's someone to take care of you, right?"

\n\n

*T/N: A principal character from the famous Chinese classic <A Dream of the Red Mansions>, who was well-known for being weak and frail.

\n\n

Dong Lin probably didn't know how to respond, so he just replied with a bunch of "haha"s and started sending emojis.

\n\n

That night, Yuan Ye had Ji Xiaotao order two bowls of porridge and some side dishes, and they ate in Fang Shaoyi's room. Ji Xiaotao had sharp eyes and left after ordering, going back to his own room to watch TV and eat his food.

\n\n

Fang Daiyu still had no appetite, and it was uncertain whether he could be coaxed into eating a few bites later. At this time, the assistant shouldn't just stand by and watch.

\n\n

In the room, Yuan Ye opened the bowlw of porridge and called out to Fang Shaoyi, "Come on, have some porridge."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi frowned and whispered, "No, my head hurts."

\n\n

"Then what can I do to make it hurt less?" Yuan Ye asked with a smile.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and said expressionlessly, "Menthol oil."

\n","published_time":"2023-12-04T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-06T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":424,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":35,"chapter_title":"Chapter 35","content":"

For several days, a small bottle of menthol oil had been tucked away in Yuan Ye's pocket. Fang Shaoyi had also suffered for a few days.

\n\n

Although he didn't have many scenes, they were all difficult and every scene was a struggle. The tailor was played by the Taiwanese actor He Han, who was two years younger than Fang Shaoyi. He had been lukewarm in his popularity before, but suddenly gained some momentum this year.

\n\n

However, his lines were flawed and his Taiwanese accent was too heavy. Director Jiang didn't allow for dubbing in post-production, so every scene had to be redone.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had a terrible headache and during breaks in filming, he hardly spoke. The director even came over to ask if there were any difficulties, but Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said he was fine.

\n\n

During filming, Yuan Ye sat on a chair and read the script while doodling with a pen. Later, he went to discuss the script with the director, hoping to reduce the scenes between Fang Shaoyi and the tailor and give some of the scenes to other actors. The director didn't directly refuse after discussing it with him for a while.

\n\n

Yuan Ye did have some selfish motives for changing the script, but the revised version was still reasonable and even made other characters more prominent. After resting that night, the director called Yuan Ye over and they spent the whole night discussing and almost finalized another plan.

\n\n

But in the end, it didn't work out.

\n\n

He Han came to ask Fang Shaoyi humbly if his acting was not good enough.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi waved his hand and smiled, "Of course not."

\n\n

"I can rest assured now, Brother Shaoyi," said He Han. "I was worried that my acting was too bad and you didn't want to act with me."

\n\n

At that moment, Yuan Ye glanced at him and lit a cigarette.

\n\n

After He Han left, Yuan Ye said, "His scenes were added but he doesn't want it, what is he thinking."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and said, "Even though he had scenes added, the scenes with the protagonist were still reduced. Of course he isn't willing."

\n\n

The script was not changed because He Han was not happy with it. The director privately told Yuan Ye, "Forget it, there are only a few days left to film. Let's just stick to the original script."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "Didn't we agree to change it? Director, the revised version would be even more beautiful."

\n\n

This was not a lie. By reducing the male lead's scenes, the blacksmith and tailor were given more depth, making their characters more well-rounded. The director agreed with this, but in the end, he said, "Forget it."

\n\n

Before, He Han was just a small actor without much fame. Being able to act in Jiang Linchuan's film was a huge opportunity for him. But now, things are different. He has a wealthy backer behind him. This film has a large investment for a small production, and even Jiang Linchuan, who is known for being domineering, cannot ignore the opinions of the investors.

\n\n

He Han's capital is the largest investor behind the scenes. In the end, the changes were not significant nor particularly important. They were not essential to the main storyline and it was not worth arguing over such a small alteration.

\n\n

To be honest, Yuan Ye couldn't quite understand the thought process of He Han's side. From his perspective as a screenwriter, the altered tailor was now more alive than ever before, even though some scenes with the protagonist were cut. But the replacement scenes were definitely not a loss.

\n\n

In the days that followed, Fang Shaoyi had to take headache medicine to endure the strong scent. He was too sensitive to it, and even Yuan Ye had trouble staying in the room at times, let alone Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

He Han's scenes were impossible to shoot, and the actors were afraid of the constant re-takes. Emotions couldn't be summoned at will, and each take only served to stiffen the previously summoned emotions.

\n\n

Yuan Ye watched as He Han spoke yet again with his Taiwanese accent, and he knew it was over.

\n\n

Sure enough, the director called for a stop.

\n\n

He Han said, "Sorry, sorry, I forgot again. Director, sorry, Brother Shaoyi, sorry."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, "It's okay, these things happen."

\n\n

Yuan Ye felt annoyed and muttered under his breath, "What a nuisance."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao heard it and came over, gritting his teeth and muttering, "What kind of brain does he have? How can he still make movies with that brain? He can't even remember a line after saying it eight hundred times. Is he doing it on purpose..."

\n\n

Yuan Ye frowned and said nothing.

\n\n

In the next scene, the director stopped halfway through filming and said over the intercom, "The emotion didn't come out."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi made a gesture and said, "Sorry, let's do it again."

\n\n

"There's still some emotional baggage left..." whispered Ji Xiaotao as he crouched down, "His acting isn't even as good as little Yang, and little Yang also didn't have as many cuts as him."

\n\n

After a full day of filming, Fang Shaoyi removed his makeup to reveal a white face with red eyes. If they had just let the room air out for a few days, the smell wouldn't have been so strong. But they didn't have time, the other actor was in a rush, and as soon as the filming stopped, they had to fly to the next set, as they had already signed a contract.

\n\n

When Ji Xiaotao told Yuan Ye that they had to fly to the next set, he laughed and said, "Which set is so amazing that they're starting production before the Chinese New Year?"

\n\n

After finishing this shoot, it was basically right before the Spring Festival. The crew usually had to take a break, and no crew would let actors join at this time, it would be giving them a free holiday if they did.

\n\n

So, although this statement sounded unrealistic, there was nothing to say. When someone said something, you had to listen. By the time the shooting was finished, everyone would have breathed in all the fumes, and by then Fang Shaoyi probably would have been poisoned by paint.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took his medicine and went to bed early. He slept so heavily that his breathing was loud. After he fell asleep, Yuan Ye also returned to his own room. Recently, he had not been in a good mood, and he didn't know where to direct his anger.

\n\n

Could he blame the art director? Why didn't he adjust the paint color earlier if it was off? But it's not really their fault. It's normal for the props team to adjust the props during filming, and they wouldn't have time to find eco-friendly paint then. These things are not a big deal.

\n\n

Or should he blame He Han? He didn't agree to change the script, and the filming is dragging on without progress, and he's also unwilling to adjust his schedule. Ultimately he also wasn't obliged to do so, it wasn't unreasonable.

\n\n

It's ultimately Fang Shaoyi's own personal matter.

\n\n

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, Fang Shaoyi treated the crew to a feast, ordering dozens of servings of the traditional holiday meal and reserving the entire restaurant for the staff. Fang Shaoyi always celebrates holidays with whichever crew he's working with, without fail. However, he only took a few bites himself and stopped, in the past few days he had lost weight.

\n\n

In the evening, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi walked back together. With their heads full of formaldehyde, the wind blowing at them made them feel refreshed. Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi, "Feeling okay? If you're tired, let Xiaotao come and take us back."

\n\n

"No, it's fine," Fang Shaoyi replied with a hoarse voice. After clearing his throat, he smiled faintly and said, "I'm just getting old."

\n\n

"That kid who pushes the trolley is only twenty-four. I don't think he can even get up," Yuan Ye said. "He's worse off than you. You can still act, but the director gave that kid a break and he won't be back until after the new year."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything and walked slowly with Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye continued, "If you don't feel like filming, you can just wait until you're in the mood again."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi just smiled and said, "No need."

\n\n

On the other hand, time was pressing for He Han. The contract with him was only signed until the end of the year. If he said he wouldn't film, it would make things difficult for the director.

\n\n

Actually Yang Siran's contract was also signed until the end of the year, but he would probably have to rush to finish He Han's scenes before the year ended. So, Yang Siran didn't mention anything about time. After all, he had no fame and didn't have any urgent work arrangements.

\n\n

The director had mentioned to Fang Shaoyi that Yang Siran's time might be tight, but Fang Shaoyi assured the director that he could film without worry. Fang Shaoyi was only mildly poisoned, and he managed to finish the last few days of filming.

\n\n

Finally, everyone on the crew could breathe a sigh of relief. If they had dragged on for a few more days, he wouldn't have been able to continue filming.

\n\n

The crew was given a five-day break for the Chinese New Year, and they could finally take a break after finishing the last scene. Yuan Ye had no plans to leave, and he gave Ji Xiaotao a ten-day break so he wouldn't have to rush back after the New Year, anyway there wasn't much to do in the crew.

\n\n

Their relationship was no longer just an employer-employee relationship, and Fang Shaoyi always took care of him. Every year before Ji Xiaotao went home, Fang Shaoyi would give him a bonus, which was considered his year-end bonus.

\n\n

It had been almost a year since Ji Xiaotao had been home, and his parents missed him dearly. He had already booked his plane ticket in advance, so there was no reason not to go back.

\n\n

Half of the crew suddenly left, and the other half didn't want to bother with the rush of the Spring Festival travel season. Those who left were mostly small workers and assistants, while those in the main positions stayed. Occasionally, Yuan Ye would cook something for Fang Shaoyi in the restaurant's kitchen, and Fang Shaoyi loved whatever he cooked, no matter what it was.

\n\n

Life seemed to have hit the pause button all of a sudden. The fast-paced work was gone, and the noisy surroundings had turned into a gentle flow of people. They hadn't lived like this for a long time, but they didn't feel uncomfortable with it either.

\n\n

On New Year's Eve, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi both called home, but their relationship was a bit awkward, so they didn't say much to each other's parents and just sent New Year's greetings on WeChat. The rest of the crew celebrated together, and later the producers went to the director's room for a drink.

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan could really hold his liquor, but Fang Shaoyi was definitely not in a state to drink much now, and Yuan Ye couldn't handle more than two glasses of white wine. He didn't want to drink too much today.

\n\n

The couple who drink less combined than the director were teased by him, "With such a low alcohol tolerance, luckily you guys don't need to go out and raise funds or get sponsors. Otherwise, how would you earn your keep?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and begged for mercy, "Please give us a break, we still have to go out and set off firecrackers later. If I drink any more, I won't even be able to light them."

\n\n

At the dinner table, colorful jokes were always in abundance, especially now that the atmosphere had loosened up. The assistant director quipped, "I don't think you want to go out and light firecrackers. The two of you have been flirting with each other like old maids, who knows what you'll do when you go back to your room all pent up?"

\n\n

Everyone laughed, not taking the suggestive comment seriously. Yuan Ye shrugged off the remark and decided to stay quiet. He didn't need to make a big deal out of it. He turned to Fang Shaoyi and asked in a low voice, "Are you okay? Does your head still hurt?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head, his eyes not entirely clear. The combination of dizziness and alcohol made everything seem a bit hazy. He looked at Yuan Ye and said, "It doesn't hurt."

\n\n

Yuan Ye then asked him, "Then are you feeling dizzy?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi blinked and slowly said, "A little bit."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and said, "If you feel dizzy, then that's that. Shall we go?"

\n\n

Without waiting for Fang Shaoyi's response, he stood up and said to the rest, "Hey, you guys drink up. We're going out for a walk."

\n\n

Just as the assistant director had teased them, Yuan Ye announced their departure, and everyone laughed. Yuan Ye didn't explain much and just went along with the joke. He downed his drink in one gulp and pulled Fang Shaoyi along, saying, "Happy New Year to all the leaders! May you be healthy, safe, and prosperous!"

\n\n

After he finished speaking, he dragged Fang Shaoyi and ran off.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi draped his coat over his arm and followed Yuan Ye, not asking any questions.

\n\n

As soon as he felt the cold wind outside, the slight drunkenness from the alcohol in his system dissipated halfway. Fang Shaoyi put on his coat and followed Yuan Ye as they walked through Yuan Ye. Eventually, he grabbed Yuan Ye's hand and Yuan Ye looked over and smiled at him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye pulled him along and they ran to the outskirts where he had parked his car. Yuan Ye told Fang Shaoyi, "Wait here for me."

\n\n

He took something out of the car and laid it out in front of them. Fang Shaoyi chuckled as he watched Yuan Ye fiddle with the fireworks, and walked over to help him move them around. Fang Shaoyi asked him, "How old are you?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "I'm already 33. But who says you can't set off fireworks when you're 33?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "It's not environmentally friendly."

\n\n

Yuan Ye blinked and said, "I purposely came to this open field in the suburbs to release them. And I've been environmentally conscious every year. This year, I'm chasing after my ex-husband, hopefully the nation can forgive me this once."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and watched as Yuan Ye lit a firecracker. Yuan Ye told him, "Stand back."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stepped back to lean against the car as instructed, while Yuan Ye lit up his firecrackers one by one and ran over to stand beside him. Bright clusters of light popped and crackled overhead, and as Fang Shaoyi looked up, the images in his mind slowly overlapped with those of Yuan Ye in his twenties, when he used to go all out during the Lunar New Year, filling up a whole cart with firecrackers and fireworks.

\n\n

But at some point, he stopped doing that, and not just that, he shed all of his childishness bit by bit. Looking back now, Fang Shaoyi couldn't pinpoint exactly when Yuan Ye had transformed from a mischievous kid into a mature man. The transformation was right in front of him, yet left no trace.

\n\n

"Brother Yi," Yuan Ye called out to him by his ear.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned his head to look at him, and before him was Yuan Ye's face that flickered in the light, but his eyes were always bright. Fang Shaoyi responded, "I'm here."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at him, but after calling out, he didn't say anything else, just looked at Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi raised his hand and lightly tapped Yuan Ye's eyelid with his finger.

\n\n

That was the spot where the scar was.

\n\n

Yuan Ye reached out and touched it, his thumb scraping the spot where Fang Shaoyi had just touched. Then he stared at Fang Shaoyi, a crooked smile on his lips as he put his finger to his mouth and kissed the thumb that had just touched the scar.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi burst out laughing. Yuan Ye couldn't always be serious, and he took any opportunity to be playful. Between two adults, this action was teasing, but also provocative. Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow at him. Fang Shaoyi shook his head and suddenly grabbed Yuan Ye's collar, pulling him close and biting his lips.

\n\n

After letting go, Fang Shaoyi asked, "Is this what you wanted? To be bitten?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye licked his lips, shook his head, and still looked like he wanted more. He said, "...I want to be screwed."

\n\n

He already said it so clearly, Fang Shaoyi couldn't ignore this request. When they got back to the room, he pushed Yuan Ye against the bathroom door. The distance between them suddenly shrank to half an inch. Fang Shaoyi looked into Yuan Ye's eyes and asked in a hoarse voice, "Do you still want it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye stared straight at him, not avoiding his gaze at all. "Come on."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's hairstyle had no weaknesses, making it impossible to grab his hair at times. Fang Shaoyi could only hold onto the back of his head, with no other way to deal with him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached into his pocket and pulled out a red envelope, stuffing it into Yuan Ye's hand.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lifted it up and looked at it, asking, "What's this?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked into his eyes and said, "It's a New Year's gift."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "What about the New Year's blessing?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi lightly kissed the tip of his nose and whispered, "May the little monkey be healthy and safe, carefree and happy, and free as can be."

\n","published_time":"2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-13T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":431,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":36,"chapter_title":"Chapter 36","content":"

Ever since he was seventeen, Yuan Ye had always received a red envelope and heard Fang Shaoyi's simple yet heartfelt New Year's wishes, except for last year.

\n\n

Last year, he spent the first half of the New Year's Eve at home with Professor Yuan and his mother, but went to Old Tu's place for an all-nighter in the second half. Old Tu didn't want his girl to be around when he drank, so it was just the two of them. Yuan Ye was quiet that day, hoping the alcohol would numb his senses.

\n\n

But his mind remained unusually clear that day. What he had gained and lost over the years, and what hurt him the most, were all constantly on his mind.

\n\n

That day, they didn't go all the way. Neither of them had thought about it, or maybe they just couldn't bear to. When they were recording the show, they had a wild and shameless moment of passion.

\n\n

At that time, everyone was holding back their emotions, and all kinds of feelings were twisted together, with no outlet for release. Moreover, it was already the last episode, and if nothing happened, it seemed like there would never be another chance.

\n\n

But now was different. The person was right in front of them, and their feelings were gradually developing. They didn't want to use sex to drive the end or beginning of a relationship. Sex would quickly end this ambiguous stage, and then they would naturally come back together. But it still lacked a bit of solemnity.

\n\n

The two were separated by a distance that could almost be ignored. Yuan Ye's mouth curved into a gentle smile, his voice slightly hoarse: "Brother Yi, can I give you a hand?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi hummed in response with his eyes closed, then asked, "Didn't you want to be screwed?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye continued to smile, and "hehe"-ed in laughter for a while, then said, "I have a big mouth, you know that."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pinched his chin and bit down hard, then whispered, "All you can do is talk."

\n\n

Yuan Ye became honest at this point and said, "Mm, yes, I'm a coward."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi lightly ground his teeth on Yuan Ye's chin, then turned off the light with a pat of his hand. The room was left with only a small night light on the bedside table.

\n\n

......

\n\n

The wildness in Yuan Ye had been tamed, and he now behaved like a domesticated monkey. He no longer spoke harshly and considers his actions carefully. He gets along well with the crew and the director. Whenever he is around Fang Shaoyi, he automatically suppresses his sharpness and tries to remain calm.

\n\n

The two young screenwriters in the crew also received red envelopes from Yuan Ye for the New Year. Little Gao was pleasantly surprised and said, "Brother Yuan Ye, you're too kind. Thank you for always taking care of us."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and replied, "Happy New Year! May the coming year be smooth sailing."

\n\n

Yang Siran also spent the Spring Festival on the set. He works for Fang Shaoyi's company, and Yuan Ye gave him a red envelope too. When they bumped into each other in the hallway, Yuan Ye called out to him during mealtime and he asked, "What's up, Brother Yuan Ye?"

\n\n

Yang Siran was surprised when he caught the thick red envelope that Yuan Ye threw at him and said, "Keep going! You can do it."

\n\n

He blinked a few times and was so flustered that he couldn't even say thank you properly. He couldn't even remember to address Yuan Ye properly.

\n\n

Yuan Ye found his reaction amusing and told him, "Don't be so nervous."

\n\n

Yang Siran bowed to Yuan Ye to show his gratitude for the gift.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still hadn't fully recovered from his paint-induced headache, and his head was still a little dizzy. Yuan Ye felt angry whenever he thought about it. That Taiwanese actor had caused Yuan Ye's face to become black during the last few days of filming.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was frustrated that he couldn't be more straightforward in his dealings even when he was more than thirty years old. Maybe it was because both he and Fang Shaoyi were not this type of person, and neither were their close friends.

\n\n

There were still two days before filming began, and Fang Shaoyi was sleeping in Yuan Ye's room. Yuan Ye was quietly doing some things on the side, not making any noise. After a while, Fang Shaoyi fell asleep, and Yuan Ye adjusted the temperature of the air conditioning and covered Fang Shaoyi with a thin blanket before leaving to get some fresh air.

\n\n

It was a bit chilly outside, and Yuan Ye took a deep breath as he walked with his hands in his pockets. His mind was empty, and he felt relaxed in this moment.

\n\n

Yang Siran was wearing a hat and headphones as he jogged towards Yuan Ye from the opposite direction. Yuan Ye raised his hand to greet him, and Yang Siran stopped to talk to him, calling out, "Brother Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him, "Out for a run?"

\n\n

Yang Siran nodded and said, "Yeah, I feel sleepy when I'm in my room."

\n\n

At first, Yang Siran followed Yuan Ye's direction because they were talking, but when the conversation ended, it didn't feel right to turn back, so they continued walking together. Their combination may not have looked coordinated, but it was still quite alright.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him, "What are you listening to?"

\n\n

Yang Siran took off his headphones as soon as Yuan Ye asked him about the music. He handed them over and asked, "It's just a melody without lyrics. Do you want to listen, Brother Yuan Ye?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye accepted the offer and put the headphones on. The piano melody was soothing and pleasant to the ears. Yuan Ye asked, "Who composed this piece?"

\n\n

Yang Siran hesitated for a moment before laughing and saying, "I did. It's not very mature, so please don't laugh at me."

\n\n

He then played another piece, and although Yuan Ye was not musically inclined, he found the melody to be enjoyable. He was surprised and asked, "Are all of these your compositions?"

\n\n

Yang Siran nodded and smiled, "Yes, they are. Actually, I studied music."

\n\n

This truly caught Yuan Ye by surprise. He turned to Yang Siran and asked, "Why are you signing with them then? They're all actors here. Do you like acting?"

\n\n

Yang Siran zipped up his jacket all the way to his chin and glanced at Yuan Ye before shaking his head. "Actually, I didn't like acting at first. It made me feel uncomfortable. But I got used to it and working with Brother Shaoyi made it easier for us newcomers."

\n\n

"Mm, he's a good mentor. Learn well from him," Yuan Ye replied.

\n\n

Despite their odd pairing, they chatted for quite a while as they walked. When Yuan Ye returned, Fang Shaoyi was already awake and asked, "Where did you go?"

\n\n

After taking a stroll outside, Yuan Ye still felt chilly, while Fang Shaoyi was nice and warm. Yuan Ye stuffed his hand into Fang Shaoyi's coat, remembering their previous conversation and intentionally said, "Going out for a walk with a young man."

\n\n

Last time, he spoke about feelings with a youth at night, and was directly cleaned up by Fang Shaoyi. Now he still dared to tease about it. He was just trying to stir up trouble with his words. Fang Shaoyi also remembered and raised an eyebrow, asking him, "Talking about emotions again? Discussing the meaning of life?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye then stuffed his hand between Fang Shaoyi and the bed, enjoying the warmth and jokingly said, "Ah, talking about emotions with little Yang. Asking about my ex-husband's scandalous affair with a young male lover, discussing his future plans, you know, getting to know my competition better."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and didn't bother arguing with him. He lifted his arm and hugged the man, and Yuan Ye took the opportunity to press against him. Fang Shaoyi asked him with a smile, "Are you trying to scam me? I didn't even use any force."

\n\n

Yuan Ye was indeed trying to take advantage. As soon as he touched Fang Shaoyi, he immediately fell down and now he was lying there laughing for a long time. He then said, "Every time you wake up, your body is always warm. I just wanted to share some of that warmth."

\n\n

The two of them were in their thirties, but they still enjoyed playing with each other in a flirtatious way. If Ji Xiaotao were here, he would definitely be rolling his eyes at these two old men acting like young lovers.

\n\n

But for now, they didn't care about their age and just enjoyed each other's company. The short holiday flew by in the blink of an eye, and when it was time to start work, everyone felt a bit lazy. The night before, they had a long meeting in the conference room that lasted over three hours.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't neglect his fitness routine, as he had daily tasks to complete. He had lost some weight during the days when he had a headache, and the fitness instructor adjusted his plan accordingly.

\n\n

Yuan Ye came back from the meeting and started organizing the script for the next day. They wouldn't have much time to make changes on set, so they wanted to make sure everything was perfect for the first day of filming after the holidays. They deliberately chose a scene featuring Fang Shaoyi and an experienced actor for a good start.

\n\n

On this day of filming, Geng Jinwei also came to visit. He had gone back to his hometown for the Spring Festival and stopped by to see them before returning to the company.

\n\n

After the filming, it was already dark outside. Fang Shaoyi changed out of his costume and had dinner with Geng Jinwei. Yuan Ye went to the director to make changes to the script, so he didn't follow them.

\n\n

During dinner, Geng Jinwei said, "The investors for this movie want to make changes to the film, but the director said no."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Big changes? What are they changing?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei replied, "They want to add another character and storyline. You're still the male lead, but they want to add a male supporting role. However, I think Director Jiang and the producers can handle it. Otherwise, they might throw a tantrum and quit, and that would be a disaster."

\n\n

Investors who don't cause trouble are rare, and Fang Shaoyi didn't take it too seriously. Jiang Linchuan's crew could handle it. Fang Shaoyi said, "The new investors from Lingdong are not very stable, but they won't cause too much trouble. Let them do as they please."

\n\n

Not every director can tolerate investors messing around with their work, and Jiang Linchuan was no exception. He didn't even bring up the matter, as it was simply unacceptable to him.

\n\n

On the eighth day of the lunar new year, Ji Xiaotao returned with a large suitcase filled with lots of food that his family had sent. He shared it with the crew, then went to knock on the Yuan Ye's door. "Screenwriter Yuan! I've brought some warmth for you!"

\n\n

Screenwriter Yuan's door was opened by the film emperor.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao and Fang Shaoyi locked eyes, and Ji Xiaotao couldn't help but wonder how far they had progressed in the ten days he was away.

\n\n

He had messaged them both during that time, but they never replied, finding him annoying. He hadn't seen Fang Shaoyi in his room since he returned to the set, but now he found him in Yuan Ye's room.

\n\n

Inside, Yuan Ye shouted, "What warmth are you talking about? Bring it here and let me see!"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao crawled in and placed a bag of dried meat next to Yuan Ye. He whispered, "Screenwriter Yuan...are you getting back together?"

\n\n

Screenwriter Yuan picked up a piece of dried meat and put it in his mouth, saying, "After the warmth is gone, just leave. Take your brother away too and leave me a piece of peaceful land."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao didn't complain and turned to leave, saying as he walked, "I'm the troublemaker, not my brother. I'll leave him here!"

\n\n

After he left, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi exchanged a glance and both laughed. Fang Shaoyi said to Yuan Ye, "You should go to bed early. I'm going back."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and said, "Okay."

\n\n

However, before Fang Shaoyi could leave, Ji Xiaotao knocked on the door again. Fang Shaoyi went to open it and Ji Xiaotao came in, frowning as he asked, "Didn't He Han finish filming his scenes before the New Year? Why did I see his agent again?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye, who had been slouching on the table, suddenly sat up straight with raised eyebrows and asked, "He's here again?"

\n\n

"Ah, I saw him in the hallway," Ji Xiaotao replied.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "I guess his acting wasn't good enough. Maybe the previous scenes didn't pass, so the director called him back to fix them."

\n\n

"Don't be ridiculous. Does he want us to go back and smell more paint fumes?" Ji Xiaotao sneered. "With such a tight schedule, do they have time to come back and film more scenes?"

\n\n

"There sholdn't be time," Yuan Ye frowned, "but it's hard to say. I'll go take a look tomorrow."

\n","published_time":"2023-12-18T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":438,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":37,"chapter_title":"Chapter 37","content":"

Before he could even go take a look the next day, Yuan Ye had already bumped into He Han's agent that same night.

\n\n

After Fang Shaoyi and Ji Xiaotao went back downstairs, Yuan Ye looked over the script for the next day and came up with an idea. He put on his shoes and went downstairs to find the director. He often went to the director's room and didn't think much of it. When he knocked on the door, the assistant director opened it and he asked, "Are you guys busy, leader?"

\n\n

The assistant director said to him, "What's up? Do you need something, Little Yuan?"

\n\n

"Ah, I didn't..." Yuan Ye had originally intended to leave, but halfway through his sentence, he looked up and saw that He Han's agent was also inside, staring at him.

\n\n

His gaze made Yuan Ye uncomfortable, so he smiled and said, "I wanted to talk to the director about tomorrow's scenes. I have some ideas."

\n\n

He raised his voice a little and said, "I'm coming in, Director?"

\n\n

Then he went straight in and greeted the agent, "You're here?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye had been on the set for a long time, and during the past few days of the Chinese New Year, he had been eating with them every day. The director and assistant director didn't treat him like an outsider. Jiang Linchuan pointed to the sofa next to him, indicating that he should sit down.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat down and said with a smile, "You guys talk first, and then I'll share my ideas."

\n\n

As soon as he sat down, the agent stopped talking and smiled at the director, saying, "Let's leave it at that for now. You're busy, so take your time to think about what we discussed earlier. I'll wait for your answer."

\n\n

The director didn't nod or shake his head, so the agent stood up and added, "I hope you can give us a chance."

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him and felt a stir in his heart. He was always quick-witted and had fast reactions, so he immediately sensed that something was off. He asked, "What kind of chance do you want?"

\n\n

The other person smiled and said to Yuan Ye, "Don't worry about the matters between me and the director, Yuan Ye. It's not your concern."

\n\n

Sitting on the sofa, Yuan Ye leaned his arms on his knees and lowered his head for a moment. Then he rubbed his head and suddenly laughed, asking, "You guys aren't trying to come back, are you...haven't had enough of shooting this film yet?"

\n\n

As soon as Yuan Ye finished speaking, he could tell from the other person's expression that he had hit the nail on the head. Yuan Ye cursed inwardly and continued in his head-down, head-rubbing posture, slowly saying, "Is that so? Then how can you say it has nothing to do with me? If you want to change the script, you have to go through me at least."

\n\n

Yuan Ye put down his hand and stared at him, asking, "How do you want to change it?"

\n\n

The director remained silent, sitting aside and drinking tea. The assistant director also remained silent. Yuan Ye then asked him again, "Your schedule was so precious, how could you have time to come back now? Surely that's not possible."

\n\n

The fire in Yuan Ye's heart had been burning for some time now, and he hadn't had a chance to let it out. When he saw that they wanted to come back and change the scenes, he couldn't help but feel a bit amused.

\n\n

How worthless could their faces be? He spoke his mind, and the fake smiles on the agent's face couldn't hold up anymore. Jiang Linchuan called out to him, "Little Yuan."

\n\n

"Yeah, what's up?" Yuan Ye responded, but he didn't take his eyes off the person in front of him. He asked, "What do you want to change? Add more scenes? A few more minutes?"

\n\n

He Han is from Taiwan, but his agent is a seasoned veteran from the mainland. Yuan Ye after all did not have much status in the entertainment industry, and didn't have much background, he and Fang Shaoyi's relationship was still not quite there yet. And since they dared to come back here, it's clear that they are not afraid of offending Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Yuan Ye kept pressing him with every word, but the agent didn't bother with the fake politeness and just gave a cold laugh before saying, "We'll have to ask the investors about that. They want to add a male lead, so even if our schedule is busy, we'll have to make time."

\n\n

He looked at Yuan Ye with a slight smile at the corner of his eye and continued, "As for how to add to the script and for how long, I'm afraid I can't tell you. You didn't write the script, so you can't make any major changes. President Liu has already talked to the screenwriter, Leng-laoshi, about it. If you want to ask how to change it, why don't you ask the higher-ups?"

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan cleared his throat and said to the agent, "You go back first and wait for my message."

\n\n

"No," Yuan Ye was now laughing completely, looking at this and that, and asked, "Who can give me an explanation? What does it mean by 'adding a male lead'? Having two male leads?"

\n\n

"Little Yuan, nothing is set yet, let's discuss it again." The assistant director gave Yuan Ye a warning look, afraid that he would speak too rashly.

\n\n

"How do you want to discuss it?" Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows, lightly scratching his finger on his pants. There was a knock on the door, and the assistant director went to open it. Yuan Ye looked at the agent and continued, "With your actor's mediocre skills, you want to become a double male lead?"

\n\n

"What are we talking about?" Yuan Ye looked up at the sound of a voice and saw Fang Shaoyi walking in. Fang Shaoyi had already heard the second half of what he said as he entered the room and gave him a glance before walking over to stand next to the sofa where he was sitting.

\n\n

"Shaoyi, the two of you should go back first, we'll talk about it tomorrow," the assistant director said to Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

"No need," Yuan Ye's face had darkened by now and he shook his head, "I want to hear what it means to have two male leads."

\n\n

This really hit a nerve with Yuan Ye. The agent's mention of "two male leads" had set him off. He had always been annoyed by the shady dealings in the entertainment industry, especially that actor from Taiwan who had no acting skills and relied on wealthy backers to get ahead. He had rushed them to finish filming and yet now they were saying that he was going to be a male lead alongside Fang Shaoyi? It was ridiculous.

\n\n

The director never expressed his opinion, which basically meant he agreed.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was getting angry, his eyelids twitching as he pointed to the scripts he had brought over to the coffee table. "We'll shoot it the way we agreed to in the contract. Two male leads? Impossible. You need to make sure you can handle the meat before you eat it. Let me be blunt, your actor's skills are better suited for idol dramas. You can't even make it as the male lead in a romance drama, let alone the second or third male lead."

\n\n

"Yuan Ye," Fang Shaoyi spoke up, whispering beside him. "Don't lose your temper."

\n\n

"I'm not losing it, I'm just telling the truth," Yuan Ye turned to the agent. "You're relying on the power of others. How long can your actor rely on the backing of their wealthy sponsors? Today they have power, but when they leave, he'll be left high and dry."

\n\n

That was a harsh thing to say, and Fang Shaoyi reached out and pressed his hand on Yuan Ye's back. He furrowed his brow and spoke in a deep voice, "Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye stood up and said, "My brother has a good temper, but I don't. I'm just a commoner from the mountains with no manners."

\n\n

He finished speaking and turned to look at the director, probably with more to say, but Fang Shaoyi didn't give him the chance to speak. He just pulled him away. Before leaving, Fang Shaoyi nodded to the director and assistant director, then glanced at the agent standing next to him and said lightly, "If you have something to say, say it later to me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi brought Yuan Ye back to his room. Yuan Ye frowned and looked unhappy, "Why did you pull me away? I hadn't finished speaking yet."

\n\n

"What else do you want to say?" Fang Shaoyi pushed him onto the sofa and ruffled his hair. "If you keep talking, you'll even offend the director."

\n\n

"The director isn't being fair about this," Yuan Ye's anger hadn't subsided and he spoke harshly. "Why did you stop me from speaking?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi poured him a glass of water, his own expression not looking too good. But he didn't say anything to further provoke Yuan Ye and simply said, "Next time, call me if you need help. Don't go and confront anyone alone."

\n\n

"I happened to be there at the time. I couldn't just call you and wait. Besides, even if I did call you, you wouldn't let me speak," Yuan Ye didn't drink the water and lit a cigarette instead. "I've been wanting to speak up against them for a while now. If I don't speak now, I'll explode."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi let out a sigh and said to Yuan Ye, who was sitting next to him, "Then just let it all out with me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't find the words to say at him, and even if he did, it wouldn't make a difference. Fang Shaoyi was a moderate person, or rather, he just didn't care. He didn't lack roles or screen time, and he didn't care who had more or less scenes in a particular drama. He probably wouldn't strongly oppose it even if he knew about it, as it would be beneath him to compete with these small-time actors for roles.

\n\n

But Yuan Ye was different. If something he cared about was at stake, he wouldn't turn a blind eye. There were too many shady things in the entertainment industry, where people would act respectful to your face but secretly hold grudges. They would jump at any chance to step on others and show off their superiority.

\n\n

Last time when Fang Shaoyi was feeling a terrible headache, they were already celebrating in their hearts. This was the kind of bastard that Yuan Ye despised, the kind that couldn't be seen in public.

\n\n

Actually, when Fang Shaoyi went to the director's room, he didn't know that Yuan Ye was there. He didn't mention it when he was in Yuan Ye's room earlier, afraid that Yuan Ye would explode if he heard about it. He just came to ask the director about it.

\n\n

But he didn't expect that Yuan Ye was already exploding inside. When he was angry, he didn't care about anyone and was very arrogant.

\n\n

Later, when Yuan Ye was about to go upstairs, Fang Shaoyi put his arm on his shoulder and whispered to him, "Don't be angry, why bother getting angry with them?"

\n\n

"Okay," Yuan Ye agreed, then turned back and asked, "Did I make things difficult for you?"

\n\n

"No, not at all," Fang Shaoyi said seriously to Yuan Ye. "I just don't want you to get involved with anyone who might not be as straightforward as you are. You speak your mind, but not everyone does. Let me handle any issues that arise, or let the company handle them."

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew this already and smiled, shaking his head. "I'm not afraid of that. I'll do as I please."

\n\n

"I can't bear that," Fang Shaoyi said, pulling on his earlobe with a hint of helplessness. "Control your temper a little."

\n\n

Yuan Ye opened his mouth to respond, but ultimately nodded silently, not saying anything else.

\n\n

In fact, Yuan Ye had already tempered his temper quite a bit. When He Han's side was messing around for so many days, he didn't say a word.

\n\n

When he was with Fang Shaoyi, Yuan Ye tried to be more like him and not do anything that could cause trouble for Fang Shaoyi. But sometimes, like today, he just couldn't control himself.

\n\n

No matter how many years passed, Yuan Ye could never fit into this circle. He never liked the rules and social norms here, and he couldn't understand them. He preferred to speak his mind and be upfront about things, but it seemed like you couldn't be a part of this world without getting involved in some shady business.

\n","published_time":"2023-12-25T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-11-27T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2023-12-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":445,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":38,"chapter_title":"Chapter 38","content":"

Yuan Ye was the kind of person who wouldn't regret his actions, once he had expressed his emotions at the time, he wouldn't think about it again. He never looked back.

\n\n

So when he said at that time, "I want to turn back," Fang Shaoyi was definitely moved, because this sentence was especially precious coming from him.

\n\n

In this matter, he felt that Jiang Linchuan was not being upright or loyal, and with Jiang Linchuan's temperament and way of speaking, his attitude at the time was considered acceptance. This kind of thing couldn't be said to be right or wrong.

\n\n

The investors had even looked for the screenwriter, so they had to add He Han's role. Jiang Linchuan didn't want to break ties, which was understandable.

\n\n

Afterwards, Fang Shaoyi had a private conversation with the director for over two hours, just the two of them. After the chat, the matter was considered settled.

\n\n

Although it was an exaggeration to say that there were two male leads, He Han's role did undergo significant changes, with his screen time second only to Fang Shaoyi's. Yuan Ye was thoroughly disgusted with the situation and felt nauseated.

\n\n

Since Fang Shaoyi had agreed to it, Yuan Ye couldn't say anything more. They had to present a united front to the public, or else it would be a joke if they both said different things.

\n\n

Undoubtedly, he would listen to Fang Shaoyi in every aspect.

\n\n

Therefore, Yuan Ye's anger flared up for a moment but he had to swallow it back down like a dud firework. He couldn't accept He Han coming back to add more scenes, nor could he speak to the other party's agent in the same confrontational manner as last time.

\n\n

"Brother Ye, don't get angry with idiots," said Ji Xiaotao to him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded silently, not saying a word, and lowered his head to fiddle with his camera. He had been quite idle lately, as He Han's scenes were written by the screenwriter he had brought over himself. Yuan Ye did not participate, nor would he participate. It would be a futile wish of theirs for him to help He Han revise his scenes.

\n\n

In the director's room, Yuan Ye exploded, which was quite bold. No one dared to be too outrageous in front of the director, but Yuan Ye's attitude was quite clear. Although he didn't go after the director at the time, his intentions were obvious.

\n\n

However, Jiang Linchuan didn't have any emotions towards him and acted as usual. Jiang Linchuan really liked Yuan Ye because he himself had a straightforward personality, but in this line of work, it was impossible to always follow one's heart. Yuan Ye had a unique spirit, like the prideful and unrestrained nature of a literati, but he also had his moments of delicacy. He was a contradiction in himself.

\n\n

People in this industry have become cold and selfish, but not Yuan Ye. He is still sincere. Every time he discusses the script with the director, he puts his heart into it. When things get heated, they almost argue. Jiang Linchuan's films are difficult to shoot and write, and he is stubborn. Few people are as determined as Yuan Ye to argue with him. The director knows this, and he wouldn't think any less of Yuan Ye because of this matter.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was tinkering with his camera in his room when Ji Xiaotao went to the crew's kitchen to borrow a stove. He cooked a few dishes and brought one to Fang Shaoyi on set, and brought the rest back to Yuan Ye. They were eating when Jiang Linchuan unexpectedly knocked on the door.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao quickly greeted him, "Oh, Director, what brings you here?"

\n\n

Director Jiang walked in with a smile and said, "I saw you cooking just now, did you save some for me?"

\n\n

"Of course, please have a seat!" replied Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

Yuan Ye called out to the director and he came over to sit next to him. Yuan Ye asked, "Aren't you keeping an eye on things today?"

\n\n

"No, Old Liu is keeping an eye on things today." Ji Xiaotao cleared his own bowl and chopsticks, and handed the director a pair of chopsticks and poured him a cup of tea, which he set aside to cool. Jiang Linchuan took a bite of food and then pointed at Ji Xiaotao with a smile, "You're so good at cooking, why didn't you do it earlier!"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao chuckled and moved to sit on a small stool, far away from the others, to check his phone.

\n\n

Currently, they were split into two groups and being filming simultaneously, with He Han's scenes being filmed separately on the other side. Yuan Ye chatted with the director for a while before asking, "Are you not worried about the quality of his acting causing the film to fail?"

\n\n

The director glanced at him and chuckled, "Are you feeling bitter?"

\n\n

"You're not being fair," Yuan Ye spoke bluntly, "You know my brother has a good temper, so you're taking advantage of it."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan laughed heartily and pointed at Yuan Ye, "He dares to say anything."

\n\n

"Am I wrong?" Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and looked at the director, "Having a good temper doesn't mean you can play around with people like this. I thought you were different from other directors, but now my heart is half cold."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan sighed and put down his chopsticks. He said to Yuan Ye, "You wouldn't understand the messy details inside. I've worked with Lingdong too many times."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "I can understand it logically, but emotionally I can't. If we had agreed on this from the beginning, my brother might not have taken on this project. Fang Shaoyi is notorious for being strict with his choice of projects. After changing the storyline, the focus became blurred and the dual core concept didn't shine through. You already know this, but you still agreed to the changes."

\n\n

Yuan Ye spoke without a smile, while the director had been smiling the whole time. Jiang Linchuan looked at Yuan Ye and asked, "Do you think I'm a coward?"

\n\n

"Timidity is not the issue," Yuan Ye shook his head and said calmly, "I feel that as a filmmaker, you have lost the most essential thing."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao trembled as he listened on the side, thinking to himself, 'Brother, please be a little more tactful.'

\n\n

Yuan Ye was basically telling Jiang Linchuan directly that he was not worthy of being a filmmaker. Talking about passion and original intention may sound ridiculous and cliché, but these two words have been used to death. However, a filmmaker must have something that they always adhere to.

\n\n

If a film can be arranged with a role and plot for an actor who lacks the necessary acting skills just because of the investor's relationship, then the film is doomed to fail. Mediocrity triumphs over spiritual pursuit, and such a thing has no soul.

\n\n

He said this, and the director didn't get angry, but instead laughed. Before leaving that day, the director said to Yuan Ye, "Everyone has difficulties in their own position. When I was young, I was also naive and stubborn. In the end, I spent a year and a half making a movie that couldn't pass censorship and it was scrapped. Sometimes compromise is for a better balance. Only by standing on the balance line can we negotiate terms. If we deviate, we will suffer."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and calmly said, "But I hope that this balance line will not be nailed to the ground due to professional inertia and human laziness. It should always be moving forward, exploring and searching for ways to push the line further. This line represents the most difficult level that humans can achieve, and it should not be an excuse for comfort."

\n\n

After saying those two sentences, the director fell silent for a moment. Then he looked deeply at Yuan Ye and patted him on the shoulder.

\n\n

Yuan Ye wasn't going to the set as often as before. He was disgusted with the whole thing, which led to disappointment with the entire crew, even including Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't care about these things. He never did. These petty matters couldn't stir up any dissatisfaction or anger in him. In the end, it was because he didn't think much of it. He only took on this movie to repay Director Jiang's kindness.

\n\n

As for the roles of the other people in the movie, whether they were added to or reduced, it wasn't something he cared about. Yuan Ye didn't dislike this about him, in fact, he quite liked that he was a gentle and refined gentleman.

\n\n

But when it came to certain things, he still felt uneasy. Yuan Ye wasn't the same. In the past few years, Yuan Ye had also suffered countless losses, but Yuan Ye had simply shrugged it off and not paid attention. At that time, Feng Leizi asked him, "Do you still have any bottom line, you soft melon?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought for a long time and finally nodded.

\n\n

Of course, he had a bottom line, and that was Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

After all, Fang Shaoyi was still like that, he was someone who He Han had to humbly bow to when he saw him on set. Fang Shaoyi didn't even look at him and just grunted before walking away.

\n\n

He Han's agent took advantage of Fang Shaoyi's break time to come over and talk to him, with a smile on his face and calling out, "Fang-laoshi?"

\n\n

Upon seeing him, Fang Shaoyi gave the agent a glance. The agent smiled and said, "There was a small misunderstanding between me and Yuan-laoshi before, which caused some unpleasantness. I didn't have a chance to apologize to him, and he didn't give me a chance to speak either. It was my fault last time. When you go back, please tell Yuan-laoshi not to lower himself to my level. I'll apologize to him formally when he has time?"

\n\n

"No need," Fang Shaoyi turned his thermos in his hand without looking up. "Don't apologize to him, and don't talk to him separately. He has a bad temper and says things that are not pleasant to hear."

\n\n

The agent said, "That's not true. Yuan-laoshi is just that kind of person. In fact, I have always admired him."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took a sip of water and said, "There's no need to try to impress him. Just don't bring any twisted ideas to him. Yuan Ye doesn't like people who have ulterior motives, and I don't want anyone to push those ideas at him either."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and continued, "I don't care about many things. If you want something, go get it with your own abilities. I won't stop you from taking what I don't care about. But Yuan Ye is off-limits. You can't have any crooked ideas about him. When I was 25 and had little power, I dared to marry him. Now I'm 36."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi rarely spoke so directly to anyone, this was not like him. He had been waiting for this agent to come and talk to him for days, and he knew he had to say what needed to be said. "I protected him when I was just a young man of twenty-five, and now that I am thirty-six and in my middle age, I am even more capable of protecting him," he said.

\n\n

"I understand, I understand," the agent nodded repeatedly, and added, "I get it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took a sip of water and let out a quiet "hmm."

\n\n

Yuan Ye had actually been there for a while, but Yuan Ye didn't approach because he saw Fang Shaoyi talking to the agent. He knew that if he went over, he wouldn't be able to control his emotions and might explode with just a few words. Even if he managed to hold back his anger and say nothing, it would still be frustrating.

\n\n

So he decided not to go over until the agent finished talking and left. When he finally walked over, he lightly touched Fang Shaoyi's hair.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked up at him and smiled.

\n\n

Yuan Ye stood behind Fang Shaoyi's chair, and Fang Shaoyi tilted his head back. Yuan Ye reached out and touched his neck, running his fingers over his Adam's apple. It tickled, and Fang Shaoyi's Adam's apple moved slightly.

\n\n

"Where's Xiaotao?" Yuan Ye asked.

\n\n

"I don't know. Who knows where he ran off to," Fang Shaoyi replied.

\n\n

"Bold move, throwing the celebrity here and running off to play," Yuan Ye laughed, "I think this assistant has to be fired."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and lifted his arm to touch Yuan Ye's hand, pinching the back of his hand lightly. He smiled at him tenderly, "It's all good, you have the final say. As long as you're happy."

\n\n

Yuan Ye blinked and circled around to squat in front of him, looking at Fang Shaoyi from a diagonal angle with a cool expression. Fang Shaoyi leaned forward and met his gaze, a smile hanging at the corner of his eyes.

\n\n

One squatting and one sitting, one cool and one gentle, it was a harmonious and comfortable scene.

\n\n

When Ji Xiaotao came back from the kitchen and saw these two fooling around again, he quickly took out his phone and snapped a picture, sending it directly to Dong Lin.

\n\n

"Look at them, they're just making a joke out of the crew," messaged Ji Xiaotao.

\n\n

"Don't send me these things lately, my brother just broke up with his girlfriend. It's not cool to flaunt it like this," replied Dong Lin immediately.

\n\n

"Isn't your brother breaking up a normal thing? Does he even have a steady girlfriend?" Ji Xiaotao asked.

\n\n

Dong Lin sent a few angry emojis, followed by saying, "Only your brother does."

\n\n

"Exactly, my brother does. He's been with just this one for eleven years already," Ji Xiaotao said calmly.

\n\n

"But your brother got divorced," Dong Lin said with a cold face.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao shrugged and replied, "Even after the divorce, my brother didn't find anyone else. Let your brother experience the dedication of this film emperor a little."

\n\n

It took Dong Lin a long time to reply, "I'll block you."

\n","published_time":"2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-04T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":452,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":39,"chapter_title":"Chapter 39","content":"

On one side, Jiang Lin was keeping an eye on Fang Shaoyi's scenes, while the producer and art director kept an eye on the scenes that He Han had added.

\n\n

This matter of adding scenes was actually quite troublesome, and the entire crew was having a headache over it. Many actors had to film extra scenes to match the added lines, which caused delays in the schedule. Some actors had other projects to film, so they had to leave the set and come back later to film their scenes. Coordinating everything was very difficult, and the director was probably the most stressed out.

\n\n

However, Jiang Linchuan seemed quite calm and didn't give He Han and his team any trouble on set.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stuck to the original plan and there weren't any changes to his scenes. The script had forcibly added He Han's plotline, but with or without him the core story was unchanged. The actors might not have noticed during filming, but the audience could see it at a glance.

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan was reluctant to touch his own movie. He let He Han add scenes, but didn't even bother to consider his part of the film. They might argue about the script until late at night, but He Han's scripts were written by their own screenwriters. After finishing, they would show it to the director, and Director Jiang would make just a few changes. There was almost no controversy.

\n\n

Everyone has difficulties and compromises they have to make, but Yuan Ye still felt that everything was messed up.

\n\n

Sitting on set, Yuan Ye watched the hustle and bustle of the crew, observing the various expressions on everyone's faces. Suddenly, Ji Xiaotao wandered over to the other group and strolled back with a straight face. But as soon as he squatted down next to Yuan Ye, he couldn't contain his desire to laugh and called out, "Brother Ye!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at him sideways and asked, "What's up."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao covered half of his face and whispered, "I suggest you take a walk around the other group. It's fun."

\n\n

Without hesitation, Yuan Ye shook his head and replied, "No thanks. Do you think I'm stupid enough to go look at his terrible acting skills? Is your idea of fun that easy to satisfy, kid?"

\n\n

"No! The joy today came from little Yang," giggled Ji Xiaotao as he squatted down. After laughing, he continued, "Little Yang has potential, I'll have to get Brother Geng to give him some support."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao stood up and pulled Yuan Ye over to see. Yuan Ye followed him and as soon as they arrived, they heard Yang Siran speak and Yuan Ye laughed too.

\n\n

"You, how could you do this? Sen Cha is my tenant..."

\n\n

"...cut." The producer called for a stop and the set fell silent.

\n\n

"I'm very sorry, I apologize to all the teachers," Yang Siran bowed from afar towards the producers, then turned to the camera crew and bowed to He Han in front of him. "I'm too foolish, I've caused trouble for everyone."

\n\n

As Ji Xiaotao stifled a laugh, Yuan Ye joined in with a chuckle or two.

\n\n

Yang Siran was usually alright with his lines, but today, acting alongside He Han, he had accidentally slipped into a Taiwanese accent. It wasn't too severe, just a little bit, but it was still quite noticeable on camera. It sounded a bit comical, and it was definitely not going to pass.

\n\n

"What's going on now, Siran?" the producer was also at a loss. "We've been filming these two scenes for half a day now."

\n\n

"I'm really sorry," Yang Siran looked apologetic. "I'm just not feeling it today. I can't seem to get into character. It's my fault for being unprofessional, and I'm sorry for holding up the progress."

\n\n

After Yang Siran finished speaking, he bowed and next to him, He Han's face looked very unpleasant. He didn't say a word and went to rest on the side. Although Yang Siran was talking about himself, everyone nearby stole a glance at He Han.

\n\n

The new actors had no experience, and if their scene partner was good, they would perform well. If their scene partner was not good, they would not be able to act well. This was normal.

\n\n

Yuan Ye and Ji Xiaotao went back to their own side, and Yuan Ye laughed and said, "He's just a little fox."

\n\n

"Yeah, he's pretending," Ji Xiaotao laughed and said, "He deliberately spoke like that."

\n\n

No one knows if Yang Siran did it on purpose, but later both He Han and his agent looked at him with strange eyes, probably annoyed. Yang Siran was like a newborn calf, fearless and unafraid. No matter how hard you glared at him, he acted like he couldn't see it, and even if he did, he couldn't understand it.

\n\n

He Han's agent came over and lowered his voice to say, "Little brother, you can't act like this on set."

\n\n

Yang Siran respectfully replied, "I'm really sorry. I haven't learned how to act, and I've wasted everyone's time."

\n\n

He Han punched into cotton and turned to talk to the producer. After all, he was from Fang Shaoyi's company, and it wouldn't be good to really embarrass him. His boss was on set, so if he had any complaints, it'd be like targeting Fang Shaoyi directly.

\n\n

After the show that night, Ji Xiaotao was carrying some biscuits and pastries he bought outside when he ran into Yang Siran at the hotel lobby.

\n\n

"Hey, little brother!" Ji Xiaotao called out.

\n\n

Yang Siran was on the phone, but he saw Ji Xiaotao and smiled, waving his hand in greeting. Ji Xiaotao took out a box of biscuits and threw it to him, giving him a thumbs up. "Little brother, you did well in the shooting today."

\n\n

Yang Siran pursed his lips and smiled, catching the biscuits. "Thanks, Brother Xiaotao."

\n\n

Yang Siran had been acting with He Han for the past two days, and although he didn't perform as well as he did with the other actors, it was still passable. After they finished filming their scenes together, Yang Siran wrapped up his part in the movie. All of his scenes were done.

\n\n

For his starting point to be Jiang Linchuan film was very high, but this newcomer was still too new. He didn't even have an assistant or anyone to send him flowers. When filming was finished, Ji Xiaotao ordered a bouquet of flowers for him.

\n\n

Yang Siran smiled and accepted them, a little surprised. "I still have flowers to receive?" he said.

\n\n

"How could you not?" Ji Xiaotao replied. "Congratulations on successfully completing your first film, little brother!"

\n\n

Yang Siran still smiled and said thank you.

\n\n

The day after filming was finished, he could fly back to the company on a plane. Ji Xiaotao drove him to the airport and noticed that Yang Siran seemed quite relaxed. They chatted along the way and Ji Xiaotao asked, "You seem pretty happy?"

\n\n

Yang Siran nodded and rubbed his nose. "Yeah, we finally finished filming."

\n\n

"How do you feel?" Ji Xiaotao asked.

\n\n

After some thought, Yang Siran smiled lightly and said, "It's great to be able to learn something that I didn't understand before and slowly do it well. Brother Shaoyi has taught me a lot, the director is also very good, and Brother Yuan Ye even gave me a red envelope for Chinese New Year. Brother Xiaotao, you have always taken care of me. The process of getting closer is very beautiful, and I will cherish it."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao seemed surprised to hear him speak so much at once and turned his head to look at him, laughing and saying, "Keep it up."

\n\n

The day he sent Yang Siran to the airport, Ji Xiaotao suddenly remembered something he hadn't had a chance to ask before and had since forgotten. Now he remembered and asked Yang Siran, "By the way, little brother, did anyone bully you on set?"

\n\n

Yang Siran was taken aback and looked a bit confused. "No, Brother Shaoyi is here. No one has given me a hard time."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao nodded and escorted him to the boarding gate. "That's good. Go ahead."

\n\n

Life on set was chaotic, like being in a war every day. But looking back, it was all the same, with the same things happening over and over again. This production was estimated to take five or six months, maybe even longer. As time went on, no one bothered to call Fang Shaoyi "Sen Cha" anymore, and there was no need to deliberately exclude him.

\n\n

However, Fang Shaoyi still clung to Yuan Ye with this as an excuse, acting childish despite his age.

\n\n

Although he didn't say it out loud, in his heart, Yuan Ye was resistant to this film crew. Every time he saw He Han and his agent walking by in silence, with their heads down, their existence was a compromise in his eyes. He was forced to accept it, and although it wasn't obvious on the surface, his emotions could be sensed.

\n\n

At nine o'clock that night, Yuan Ye was arguing with the director over the script, with other producers in the room. A message from Fang Shaoyi came through on his phone, vibrating in his pocket. Yuan Ye took it out and glanced at it. Fang Shaoyi said: "Yuan Ye-laoshi, come."

\n\n

Yuan Ye quickly replied: "I'm busy."

\n\n

After sending his response, he continued to argue with the director. Before this incident, Yuan Ye had also argued with the director, but now every time they discussed the script, he became even sharper and they would always end up arguing.

\n\n

This was normal in the crew, so it wasn't a big deal. Yuan Ye's sharpness wasn't because he was intentionally trying to cause trouble, but because he truly believed that the script was no good and a waste of time. Therefore, no matter how they discussed it, there was never a good outcome.

\n\n

No one could convince anyone, so they had to put it aside for now. Yuan Ye went to Fang Shaoyi's room with a chip on his shoulder, still smoking a cigarette.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye knocked on the door, Fang Shaoyi opened it and saw his expression, laughing as he asked, "Did you have another fight with the director?"

\n\n

"This film is going to be a disaster," Yuan Ye entered the room and said, "No matter how we film it, it's a waste of time."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi comforted him, "Director Jiang is still worth trusting."

\n\n

After hearing this, Yuan Ye blinked and looked at him without saying a word. After finishing his cigarette, Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi, "Why did you call me here?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled candidly, "Nothing, you haven't been pursuing me much lately."

\n\n

"..." Yuan Ye was a bit speechless, but he really hadn't been pursuing him much lately. The incident with He Han had scattered his emotions, and this current situation was just too frustrating. He was a person who took things seriously from the bottom of his heart, and he felt tired of this environment and didn't like it, so he put aside other things for now.

\n\n

He had changed a lot, but at the same time, he was still the same.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sat there, having just finished exercising and taking a shower. He stretched his arms and said, "You have to keep pursuing me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled helplessly, "Alright, I'll pursue, pursue you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi leaned against the headboard with a pillow behind his back. The small yellow lamp on the bedside made him look especially handsome. Yuan Ye's heart softened and he asked him, "Did you wash your face?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything, just shook his head.

\n\n

"Want a face mask?" Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and asked.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained noncommittal.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and went to get a jar of face mask. He came back and sat on the bed, patting his own leg.

\n\n

It was only then that Fang Shaoyi smiled faintly and moved over to lie on Yuan Ye's lap. Yuan Ye's fingers dotted and pressed all over Fang Shaoyi's face to make sure the mask was evenly applied.

\n\n

On a night like this, with such an atmosphere, how could one's heart not be softened? Both of them were breathing quietly, with Fang Shaoyi's eyes closed and Yuan Ye looking down at him with open eyes.

\n\n

Before him was the person in his heart, and before him was also the passage of time.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lightly tapped Fang Shaoyi's nose with his index finger, and then a smile appeared at the corner of his eye.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi spoke up and called out to him, "Yuan Ye."

\n\n

"Mm," Yuan Ye softly responded.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes and locked gazes with Yuan Ye, both seeing their own faces reflected in each other's eyes. Fang Shaoyi slowly spoke to him, "You can't become less enthusiastic towards me just because there's something you're unhappy about. Just like how you can't stop pursuing me just because you dislike certain people in the crew."

\n\n

Suddenly, Yuan Ye laughed and asked him, "Are you pretending to be aggrieved because I haven't been pursuing you lately?"

\n\n

"No," Fang Shaoyi still looked at him, staring into his eyes, his voice steady and low. "I'm telling you that I can sense what you're thinking and feeling. If I disappoint you or if there's something you don't like here, you have to tell me. If you don't express anything and just become distant, I'll wonder if you're tired."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't say anything at first, but then he grabbed Fang Shaoyi's ears and lightly pinched them, saying, "I'm not. Losing something once is enough, baby."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sighed and said, "I'm getting old. There are some things I can't put into words anymore."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and asked, "What do you want to say?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and whispered, "Even with just a glance between us, I can feel it and my heart starts to race."

\n","published_time":"2024-01-08T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-11T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":459,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":40,"chapter_title":"Chapter 40","content":"

Fang Shaoyi's words struck at Yuan Ye's heart. For a moment, he couldn't speak and felt shaken inside.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi rarely talked to him about these things, and they hadn't really discussed their feelings in recent years. Fang Shaoyi had always been in control of himself, from his youth until now. So when he said that his heart would race, Yuan Ye was surprised.
\n
\nIt was a strange feeling. Yuan Ye knew that Fang Shaoyi wanted him to separate himself from the surrounding matters. Yuan Ye had a tendency to become disappointed with everything involved in a situation when he was disappointed with just one part of it. This included everyone inside it.

\n\n

Later, Yuan Ye lightly scratched Fang Shaoyi's nose with his finger and whispered, "I understand."

\n\n

In some ways, Fang Shaoyi was like a guide. He always led Yuan Ye to learn how to feel and perceive.

\n\n

That night, the two of them started to act silly again. Ji Xiaotao always felt that they were being too affectionate, but they didn't even do anything. He scanned their bodies a few times with his eyes, but didn't see anything, which made him roll his eyes.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao turned his attention back to his phone. He asked Yang Siran how things were going at the company and what the next steps were for him. Yang Siran replied that he was still waiting and there were no arrangements yet.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao asked, "Have they assigned you an assistant yet?"

\n\n

"Not yet," Yang Siran replied.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao asked him again, "Who is your agent? Who is guiding you?"

\n\n

"Still no one," Yang Siran replied.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao: "Ah, then just wait for now..."

\n\n

Yang Siran finished chatting with him and put his phone back in his pocket. He was dressed in simple casual clothes, looking like a boy next door with a clean and neat appearance. Even in the company, not many people knew him.

\n\n

Yang Siran sat in the office, waiting patiently without daring to look around. If he wasn't looking at his phone, he would flip through a magazine on the coffee table.

\n\n

He had been sitting in the office for two hours already.

\n\n

Later, Geng Jinwei finally came back, followed by two people. Geng Jinwei saw Yang Siran and asked him indifferently, "Back already?"

\n\n

"Yeah." Yang Siran nodded and continued to sit on the sofa, waiting. After Geng Jinwei finished talking with others, he walked over to stand in front of the desk. He lit a cigarette and asked Yang Siran, "Are you tired from filming?"

\n\n

"Not really," Yang Siran said. "Everyone has been taking good care of me."

\n\n

"Next month, I'll get you another role. For now, just keep grinding as a minor character on the set," Geng Jinwei said.

\n\n

Yang Siran had no objections and nodded, "Okay."

\n\n

After discussing work matters, Geng Jinwei said, "You can go now."

\n\n

Yang Siran suddenly felt uneasy. He glanced at Geng Jinwei, who was already looking at something else and not paying attention to him. Yang Siran walked around the desk, lowered himself, and pressed his face against Geng Jinwei's leg. His face was against the fabric of Geng Jinwei's suit pants, and he spoke softly, barely even breathing, as he carefully said, "...I miss you so much."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei looked down at him, and Yang Siran lifted his face to meet his gaze, his eyes full of sincere affection.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei didn't say anything, just looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Yang Siran blinked and, with his handsome and fair face tilted up, earnestly asked, "Can I come to your place tonight?"

\n\n

......

\n\n

In early April, Yuan Ye left the film crew for a few days. Their small circle of literary friends also gathered together. Feng Leizi was a literary planner for a famous director, and when their script reached a certain stage, they had to gather a group of people to pick out flaws and provide feedback. They absorbed the opinions of dozens of writers, listened to everyone's thoughts, and looked for any new sparks that might arise.

\n\n

Yuan Ye definitely had to be there. He had a unique perspective and a sharp tongue, and he wasn't afraid to speak his mind. So, despite some resistance, they managed to convince him to come.

\n\n

Yuan Ye took a leave of absence from the film crew just to take a look at their script. When Jiang Linchuan heard that he was going out to review someone else's script, he scolded him, saying that he hadn't finished his own work yet but was sticking his nose into someone else's.

\n\n

But Yuan Ye had grown sick of reading their script. All he had was a tattered script, and no matter how much he tried to polish it, he couldn't come up with anything good. He couldn't convince the director to change the story, nor could he convince himself that there wasn't a problem. So every day he was irritable.

\n\n

The shooting was nearing its end, and Fang Shaoyi estimated that they could wrap up in another month.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye came out to meet them, he was naturally mocked. He had boasted on Weibo that he would pursue someone, and it caused a stir. These people had been waiting to mock him, and finally they had the chance.

\n\n

But Yuan Ye didn't care. He just smoked his cigarette and said, "Don't be cheap."

\n\n

"Are you embarrassed?" someone asked him. "Does Uncle Ye get embarrassed?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't be bothered to deal with them. The director hadn't arrived yet, so he went to the balcony to smoke.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao sent a WeChat message to him, which was a short video of Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

On the video, Yuan Ye said, "Don't bother me as soon as I go out."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotou replied, "Aren't I just trying to spread some warmth?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye responded, "It's not that unbearable. Give it a rest."

\n\n

The process of script development can be torturous, lasting for several days. The script is constantly overturned and rebuilt, and the final product may undergo several transformations from the original. Writers are often seen as introverted, but the scene of script development is actually like a battlefield, with everyone losing their voices in the end.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was sharp and agile at times like this. He was always the first to overturn other people's views, but those who played with their pens couldn't help but feel that he made sense, which was extremely annoying. Scholars all carried a bit of pride, looking down on each other, but had to admit that he was right.

\n\n

Of course, Yuan Ye's ideas also had to be rejected, and in the end, what came out depended entirely on fate. Or it could be a brilliant idea that someone had a sudden inspiration for and was approved by the majority.

\n\n

His mind was constantly spinning, which was tiring, but this was how Yuan Ye's circle worked, it was a familiar pattern. It was much more enjoyable than sneaking around on set discussing the script, not having to worry about offending any actors or dealing with props that couldn't keep up with major changes.

\n\n

The initial stage of the script was the purest phase of a movie, where everyone had the same goal: to turn the script from a stone into gold. Every subsequent stage consumed this purity.

\n\n

After polishing the script, Yuan Ye felt a little better when he returned. It was as if he had recharged his batteries and replenished his blood. As soon as he returned to the set, he went to find Fang Shaoyi, who had just finished work and was changing his clothes and removing his makeup.

\n\n

Yuan Ye called out to him, "Brother Yi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned around and smiled at him, "Back already?"

\n\n

"Yeah," Yuan Ye nodded, "Just finished charging."

\n\n

"How was the chat?" Fang Shaoyi asked him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye shrugged, "It was okay, but we couldn't come to a decision. It'll probably take two or three more drafts, and who knows, I might have to go back again. Feng Leizi is the master of this kind of thing, he doesn't even come up with the ideas himself, he just waits for someone else to do it and then takes the credit. He's got a real knack for literary planning, but he's also got a real cunning streak."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and was about to walk back with Yuan Ye, but he was called away halfway through. Yuan Ye sat down on a bench by the side of the road, thinking about smoking, but then remembered he was back on set and quietly put it away.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi returned, Yuan Ye was chatting with a little girl who looked about four or five years old. Yuan Ye touched her small braid and said something, but Fang Shaoyi didn't know what it was.

\n\n

On the way back, Fang Shaoyi told Yuan Ye, "We can go watch the director's rough cut tonight."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "The one he's been working on these past few days?"

\n\n

"Yeah, he hasn't made much progress," Fang Shaoyi replied, giving him a glance.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't care and didn't even want to to add his name to the credits. He didn't want to be associated with a bad production. He had given it his all, but sometimes things just don't work out.

\n\n

After he came back, he looked again at the half-hearted script with its added storyline and felt that it seemed even worse than before.

\n","published_time":"2024-01-15T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-18T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-15T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":466,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":41,"chapter_title":"Chapter 41","content":"

Yuan Ye had already expressed his intentions to the director. He only took a small amount of money for the script, just to show his support. He wasn't there for the money in the first place. So, there was no need to put his name on the credits.

\n\n

It wasn't just about whether the movie was good or bad, even if it was a great movie, he didn't want his name on it.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had turned down many invitations before, even from acquaintances and previous collaborators. If he were to become a scriptwriter for this movie, it would be quite comical and difficult to explain.

\n\n

He came here solely for Fang Shaoyi, it was a very simple purpose.

\n\n

After returning from his break, Yuan Ye went to greet the director. The director had been waiting for him for several days. When Yuan Ye was on set, the two of them argued every day. Now that he had left, there was no one to argue with, and he felt uneasy discussing things with others.

\n\n

The director's door was open, so Yuan Ye pushed it open and walked in. When the director saw him, he exclaimed, "Oh, Yuan-laoshi is back!"

\n\n

Yuan Ye rubbed his head and smiled, "Don't embarrass me, leader."

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan sneered, "Who said I'm your leader? How can you abandon your leader like that?"

\n\n

"Hey, hey, hey, spare me," Yuan Ye clasped his hands together and continued to smile, "You are my leader, the big leader."

\n\n

There was a scene that Jiang Linchuan had been waiting to discuss with him, so as soon as Yuan Ye returned, the director kept him for over four hours. Later, Yuan Ye was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open, but the director showed no signs of letting him go.

\n\n

Yuan Ye tried to hold on for a while longer, but eventually had to leave. Before he left, he went to visit Fang Shaoyi's room. Fang Shaoyi had just finished exercising and was taking a shower. Yuan Ye pushed open the bathroom door and went in. Fang Shaoyi was startled by his sudden appearance, and Yuan Ye almost kissed him on the nose with his eyes closed.

\n\n

Water splashed all over Yuan Ye, and Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What are you doing?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye could barely speak and mumbled, "I'm going back to sleep. I'm too tired."

\n\n

"Then go back to sleep and don't get yourself all wet," Fang Shaoyi replied.

\n\n

Yuan Ye tugged at the corner of his mouth and smiled, then reached out and hugged Fang Shaoyi, saying with a smile, "I missed you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye's tired expression and felt a warmth in his heart. He was about to say something else when Yuan Ye had already turned and walked away. He was really too tired, he even walked as if he wanted to close his eyes.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled. They hadn't been in contact much for several days since Yuan Ye left. They were no longer young and couldn't keep in touch all the time like they used to. Yuan Ye had his own things to do, and Fang Shaoyi had to film, so they couldn't talk on the phone every day.

\n\n

Yuan Ye came over just to say some words to Fang Shaoyi. They hadn't seen each other for several days, but that didn't mean he hadn't been thinking of him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's birthday is in April, and the day before his birthday, he needed to film an overnight scene starting at dusk. This scene was about Sen Cha sneaking into the blacksmith's shop to find clues, but it was actually a trap set by the blacksmith. The two fought in the darkness, and in the end, Sen Cha escaped with an injured arm.

\n\n

Filming a scene like this, where the characters fight in the dark, is not easy. It's difficult to control the lighting because if it's too dark, the audience won't be able to see anything, but if it's too bright, it will look fake.

\n\n

Everyone knows that the characters can see each other, but they have to act as if they can't. It's a delicate balance to maintain. After trying multiple times, the director still wasn't satisfied with the results.

\n\n

Yuan Ye glanced at his phone and saw that it was already 3am. During the break, Fang Shaoyi had come over to tell him to go rest and not stay up with them. Yuan Ye had agreed, but he still hadn't left.

\n\n

When they finally finished filming the scene, it was just past 4am and everyone was exhausted. The set was still in semi-darkness as the lights hadn't been turned on yet. The director spoke through the loudspeaker, "Let's not turn on the lights just yet. Everyone worked hard today, so go home and get some rest. We'll make up for lost sleep tomorrow."

\n\n

As he was speaking, someone suddenly pushed a three-layer cake with candles from behind towards Fang Shaoyi and his group. Fang Shaoyi still didn't realise anything and was watching with amusement. He even turned his head to look for Yuan Ye, this foolish person who had stayed up all night with him, and wanted him to go back to sleep as soon as possible.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye met his gaze, he was smiling and holding a loudspeaker. He shouted, "Happy birthday, baby!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was a little surprised, but then he laughed and shook his head. He had actually forgotten about it, it never crossed his mind.

\n\n

The set lights were on, and Fang Shaoyi thanked everyone with a smile. The director came over and said, "Come on, let's sing Fang-laoshi a birthday song."

\n\n

This scene was already familiar to Fang Shaoyi. It was common for birthdays to be celebrated on set, and usually the crew would join in. While the others were singing, Fang Shaoyi turned to look for Yuan Ye, who reached out from behind and gave him a squeeze.

\n\n

Celebrating birthdays on set was something Fang Shaoyi was used to. Last year, he had also celebrated on set.

\n\n

At that time, Ji Xiaotao was still feeling down because of Fang Shaoyi's divorce from Yuan Ye. Fang Shaoyi and the director went out to eat, while Ji Xiaotao anxiously waited for Yuan Ye's call. But that day, he never received it.

\n\n

Yuan Ye only posted a private Weibo that day, one that only he could see: "Happy 36th birthday."

\n\n

This year was different. Yuan Ye was also on set, by Fang Shaoyi's side, and their relationship was gradually recovering. Everything was good.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had prepared a gift for Fang Shaoyi, a small item he had carved himself. He had worked on it secretly for many days, wasting many attempts. However, Yuan Ye lacked creativity in gift-giving and had been giving monkeys every year.

\n\n

This year's gift was a bit more interesting, a monkey holding onto a tree with its tail and puckering its lips. Fang Shaoyi held it in his hand and rubbed the monkey's head with his thumb, saying to Yuan Ye, "You need to make up for last year's gift."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and replied with a smile, "I'll give it to you when we get back."

\n\n

Actually there was no need to make up for anything, as everything that was supposed to be there was already there. It was just that last year, he did not have the status to give it out.

\n\n

That night, Fang Shaoyi slept in Yuan Ye's room. After finishing filming and celebrating his birthday and cutting the cake, it was already 5:30am. By the time he fell asleep, it was already past 7am. It could be said that Fang Shaoyi spent his entire birthday in Yuan Ye's room and didn't leave.

\n\n

Meanwhile, Ji Xiaotao and Dong Lin chatted on WeChat for a while, but who knows what they talked about that was too inappropriate to mention.

\n\n

Everyone on set could tell what was going on between Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye. These two were openly divorced but still secretly in love.

\n\n

On his birthday, Fang Shaoyi had to post on Weibo. Ji Xiaotao chose a photo of him cutting the cake and posted it with the caption: "Celebrating my birthday on set, having cake with everyone. I will continue to work hard."

\n\n

Although the lighting in the photo wasn't very bright, sharp-eyed netizens immediately spotted Yuan Ye next to Fang Shaoyi. Today is Fang Shaoyi's birthday, and many people had been asking under Yuan Ye's Weibo post why there was no news yet. CP fans were still hoping for progress on the matter of Yuan Ye pursuing Fang Shaoyi, but there had been no updates since that Weibo post, and fans were getting anxious.

\n\n

But when this photo was released, the sweetness was unexpected and came just in time for the Lunar New Year.

\n\n

Our Uncle Ye even went to the set to celebrate Fang Shaoyi's birthday, who could deny the implications of this photo!

\n\n

Many celebrities reposted Fang Shaoyi's Weibo post to wish him a happy birthday, but Fang Shaoyi didn't see any of them. He was too busy sleeping and didn't have the time to check his Weibo.

\n\n

Only Chi Xing's post was slightly incongruous, the caption read: "Hahaha, this cp's fans heads have reached the sky!"

\n\n

Below his post, both his fans and fans of Fang Shaoyi were commenting "Hahaha" below.

\n\n

Cheng Xun reposted it with the message: "...Happy birthday, Brother Shaoyi."

\n\n

Once again, both of their fans flooded the comments with "Hahaha". Our Cheng Xun is known for his lack of words and frequent use of ellipses, Little Chi should let Little Cheng worry a bit less!

\n\n

He Han also reposted Fang Shaoyi's post: "Boss, wishing you a happy birthday, it's too bad that I didn't have scenes yesterday night, and couldn't eat the cake, I'll make up with a slice later."

\n\n

This Weibo post almost made Ji Xiaotao choke to death. Who the hell do you think you are calling him your boss? The word choice was subtle, but it felt too familiar. Who are you? Only he could call his brother that, what's He Han's position? And don't bother sending him cake. He'll just feed it to the dog later, thanks very much.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao and the other actor's agent hardly spoke to each other on set. Their paths didn't cross. Their two actors had a different status, and their styles were also completely different.

\n\n

Let's finish filming and say our goodbyes. Don't try to get too close, can't we just keep it professional and save yourself some face?

\n\n

Downstairs, Ji Xiaotao was cursing at him, while upstairs, another person who had just woken up didn't hold back either.

\n\n

It had been a while since Yuan Ye last checked his Weibo. The previous uproar had died down, but upon opening the app, he was bombarded with countless insults. Yuan Ye didn't bother reading them, he only wanted to send a blessing.

\n\n

Before he fell asleep, Fang Shaoyi had grumbled about how Yuan Ye didn't send a blessing last year, breaking a tradition that had been going on for years. He was nearly falling asleep already but still frowning, and Yuan Ye pointed at his frowning brows and said, "I'll send it, I'll send it."

\n\n

So when he woke up, Yuan Ye remembered this and quickly sent out his blessing before anyone else could wake up. He saw that Ji Xiaotao had used Fang Shaoyi's account to post something, and when he clicked on it, he immediately saw He Han's name.

\n\n

Yuan Ye frowned and cursed in his heart.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't like his entire group with their underhanded style, and that statement was just disgusting.

\n\n

As Ji Xiaotao chatted with someone, he scrolled through Weibo and noticed a notification. He clicked on it and saw that Yuan Ye had posted something.

\n\n

The picture was of the monkey he had gifted last night, with only a few words: "Happy 37th, boss."

\n\n

"Awesome!" Ji Xiaotao couldn't help but whisper.

\n\n

Yuan Ye calling him "boss" really sounded so comfortable. What was their relationship anyway? Even if they had broken up, it was still unclear. If Yuan Ye called him "boss," then what was He Han's status?

\n\n

Sure enough, when he checked again ten minutes later, the post had already been deleted.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao messaged Yuan Ye: "Brother Ye, I love you!"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao: "I love you!"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao: "Make that idiot back off! Thank you, Brother Ye, for saving my life!"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao: "I love you!"

\n\n

But the response from Yuan Ye was indifferent: "Don't you know how to bring some food up?"

\n","published_time":"2024-01-22T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2023-12-25T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-22T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":473,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":42,"chapter_title":"Chapter 42","content":"

Fang Shaoyi had been in the film industry for many years, with a high starting point and a solid background. Over the years, there weren't many people he openly had bad relationships with. It wasn't in his nature to easily make enemies, and he didn't have a superiority complex. There was no reason for him to oppose anyone.

\n\n

This time, the conflict with He Han's side was out in the open, both sides didn't communicate much. The reason for the lack of communication was that even if He Han's side wanted to talk, they couldn't reach Fang Shaoyi's side.

\n\n

However, this couldn't be considered a fight between the two sides. There was no comparison. One side was too lowly, and their methods were not respectable. The other side couldn't be bothered to deal with them.

\n\n

Some of the fans who saw Yuan Ye's Weibo post had actually figured out what he meant. Seeing that word "boss", the cp fans would already be sensitive towards it. There had been no previous collaborations or interactions between He Han and Fang Shaoyi, and many of them only found out that He Han was also filming Director Jiang's movie after hearing seeing him call him "boss". After Yuan Ye posted like that, He Han had no choice but to delete the post.

\n\n

When Ji Xiaotao brought in the food, Yuan Ye was wearing pajamas and waiting to eat after washing up. Fang Shaoyi was still sleeping in bed. Ji Xiaotao saw the tenderness in Yuan Ye's eyes and silently exclaimed in his heart.

\n\n

Yuan Ye gestured for him to be quiet and not make a sound. Ji Xiaotao didn't dare to stay too long and left after a short while.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi turned over, he seemed to wake up. Yuan Ye looked at him, and Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes and looked back. Yuan Ye tilted his head and smiled at him, asking, "Want to eat something before going back to sleep?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head, his voice still hoarse, "Not hungry."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't insist and said, "Then go back to sleep."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and mumbled, "When will you finish eating?"

\n\n

After understanding what he meant, Yuan Ye laughed so hard that his shoulders shook and said, "Right away."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi made a sound of agreement and fell asleep again in just a few seconds.

\n\n

After finishing his meal, Yuan Ye returned to bed and leaned against the headboard to check his phone. Fang Shaoyi stretched out his arm and casually draped it over Yuan Ye's shoulder. Yuan Ye chuckled silently and lightly scratched his arm with his fingertips, like he was petting a cat.

\n\n

He posted a picture on his social media with the caption "Seven-year-old Fang" and attached a photo he had taken a few days ago on set. Fang Shaoyi was sitting on the steps outside the barber shop, looking over at Yuan Ye. He had been lost in thought, but when he noticed Yuan Ye taking his picture, his expression softened and he smiled.

\n\n

His smile was naturally handsome, but with the half-light of that day, it gave off a sense of peaceful warmth and tranquility.

\n\n

At the end of April, Fang Shaoyi finished filming, but Yuan Ye was a few days behind because there were still had some loose ends to tie up after finishing. It was overcast on the day they wrapped, and they were filming a scene where Fang Shaoyi was cutting someone's hair - not the beginning or the end, just an ordinary scene.

\n\n

This was Jiang Linchuan's filming style - he liked to save the special scenes for the middle and film the regular scenes at the beginning and end. Actors always have the strongest emotions towards the end of filming, but he insisted on using this subtle, bittersweet emotion to film something seemingly unremarkable, resulting in a restrained and poignant effect.

\n\n

The world is silent, but the mountains and rivers endure.

\n\n

On that day, Yuan Ye was squatting on the set, watching as Fang Shaoyi, as usual, finished cutting the person's hair. He then used a brush to sweep away the hair on the person's face, ears, and neck. After mechanically removing the cloth from the person's body, he expressionlessly said, "Three yuan."

\n\n

The person looked up at him and only gave him two yuan in the end.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi put the money in the drawer without asking any further questions.

\n\n

He was always like this in this small town, always being cheated and bullied, sometimes aware, sometimes not. He was a killer, and he came here to find someone and kill him.

\n\n

As the movie approached its end, everyone in the town seemed to be the person he was looking for, but at the same time, everyone seemed to be a killer who wanted to kill him. The true identity of each person was shrouded in mystery, and the identity of Sen Cha was also unclear, with everything being vague and uncertain.

\n\n

After adding a subplot, the focus shifted mostly to He Han, the quiet and gentle tailor in the town who was now the main supporting character. Originally, everyone was alike and yet different.

\n\n

But after the changes, it seemed like a showdown between the tailor and the protagonist, with both of them being each other's target and assassin. The other townspeople were merely there to provide cover for the tailor, acting as obstacles to be overcome.

\n\n

Later on, there were a few scenes that were added featuring Fang Shaoyi and He Han. He Han couldn't afford to drag his feet like before and had to give it his all to keep up with Fang Shaoyi's acting. However, he still struggled to keep up and his presence on stage was weak, making it clear that his acting skills were no match for Fang Shaoyi's.

\n\n

Despite his age, He Han's acting skills were still too inexperienced. Fang Shaoyi, on the other hand, was a natural talent who had been acting in movies since he was a teenager. The gap between him and those actors who only had experience in idol dramas was like night and day.

\n\n

Every time the director called "cut," He Han would say something to Fang Shaoyi, sometimes thanking him and other times apologizing. Fang Shaoyi would usually just nod or shake his head, not saying much, but he never made things difficult for He Han. He didn't need to, and it wouldn't be classy to do so.

\n\n

The whole movie had changed its flavor, which was why Yuan Ye argued with the director before every scene. This approach just didn't work for him. They were constantly at odds, like gears that wouldn't mesh properly and kept getting stuck with every turn.

\n\n

After the wrap, Fang Shaoyi had to leave. The company had a pile of things waiting for him, and Geng Jinwei had been urging him to go for a while now. Fang Shaoyi had been working tirelessly on filming for over a year, with almost two years immersed in crews.

\n\n

Yuan Ye would be delayed for a few more days, so Fang Shaoyi decided to go back first and wait for him. As per tradition, after celebrating the end of filming, Fang Shaoyi didn't rush to leave. He waved to Yuan Ye and called him over. With most of the crew gone to film other scenes, there weren't many people around.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had Yuan Ye sit in a chair and proceeded to give him a haircut. During this time, Fang Shaoyi had become quite skilled at cutting Yuan Ye's hair. Yuan Ye watched him in the mirror as Fang Shaoyi used the clippers to trim his hair and then used a comb to measure the length.

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked him, "Are you going to France next month?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded, "Yes."

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "I'll go with you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and shook his head, "No need, you have your own things to do."

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and didn't say anything else. He just repeated, "I'm going too. I've asked Xiaotao to settle my visa together."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi grabbed Yuan Ye's head and looked at him, then smiled lightly and said, "Then I'll wait for you."

\n\n

"Okay," Yuan Ye looked at Fang Shaoyi in the mirror and smiled, "Everyone was crowding together earlier, so I didn't get a chance to say it. Congratulations on finishing the shoot, Fang-laoshi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi steadied his hand on Yuan Ye's head and said, "Thank you for your care, Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

"No need to be polite," Yuan Ye looked at him and said, "We still have a long way to go in the future."

\n\n

Before Fang Shaoyi left, he tried to leave Ji Xiaotao with Yuan Ye, but Yuan Ye refused and said he didn't need him. Fang Shaoyi was worried that he would be at a disadvantage on set alone, but Yuan Ye confidently replied, "I won't be at a disadvantage. The director has my back, and besides, I'm not a young kid anymore. I can handle myself."

\n\n

Despite Fang Shaoyi's concerns, Yuan Ye still refused to let Ji Xiaotao stay. Ji Xiaotao was caught in the middle and no one wanted him. Although he appeared successful at the company, no one knew that he was constantly mistreated and even threatened with firing.

\n\n

Yuan Ye really wouldn't be at any disadvantage. The filming was almost done, and the remaining scenes wouldn't take more than a few days. It was just that Yuan Ye liked to finish things properly, otherwise he could have left with Fang Shaoyi. Even if He Han's side was being foolish, they wouldn't dare to argue with Yuan Ye again. Besides, who didn't know that he and Fang Shaoyi were together now?

\n\n

After Fang Shaoyi went back, he had to go to the company for several days, and then he had to go to Cannes in a few days. Director Xin was taking "Wind Wanderer" there, so of course Fang Shaoyi had to go with him.

\n\n

He hadn't left the set for a long time, so he had to finalize his outfits for the trip, train his physique a little, and take care of his skin. In the past two years, Fang Shaoyi had ruined his appearance, and he rarely paid attention to his face.

\n\n

Geng Jinwei said to Fang Shaoyi, "I've picked out two good scripts, one for shooting in September and one for the end of the year. If you don't want to shoot, just leave them be. I'll try to reject them. One is directed by Director Wei and the other by Director Zhuang. I think they've both talked to you about it, so I have to wait for you to come back and take a look. Otherwise, I won't be able to reject them without you taking a look."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and said, "Yeah, they both talked to me about it. But I really do want to take a break."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei raised his eyebrows and said, "I told you to take a break a long time ago. Did you listen?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and didn't answer him. Instead, he asked, "When is Director Wei's shooting schedule?"

\n\n

"At the end of the year," Geng Jinwei said. "There's still plenty of time. You can decide whether or not to take it before the end of June. If you're not taking it, let them know early so they can find someone else."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi rubbed his forehead and said, "Okay."

\n\n

When he returned, Geng Jinwei had originally planned to hold a meeting. Some new employees had signed on with the company, but they hadn't even met Fang Shaoyi yet.

\n\n

However, Fang Shaoyi wasn't too interested in having a meeting. He didn't really care about the company's affairs, as Geng Jinwei was the one who always handled them. Geng Jinwei had stopped managing artists a long time ago. Now, he only had Fang Shaoyi left in his hands, as well as Yang Siran, who couldn't be assigned to anyone else.

\n\n

When Ji Xiaotao heard that Yang Siran still didn't have an agent, he was quite surprised. When he saw him in the company, he asked, "What's going on? No one's taking care of you?"

\n\n

Yang Siran smiled and greeted Ji Xiaotao, calling him "Brother Xiaotao". Then he nodded and said, "Yes, there's no one."

\n\n

"I heard before that they wanted you to work with Old Yan, right? Brother Yan is good."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao had a good impression of Yang Siran. When Little Yang was on set, he aligned himself with Fang Shaoyi's camp and intentionally played down his abilities when acting with He Han, which made Ji Xiaotao feel close to him. He said to him privately, "Brother Yan is a good person with many resources. It's good for you to follow him."

\n\n

Yang Siran didn't say anything, just shook his head. "It's not Brother Yan who brought me here."

\n\n

"So what's your situation now?" Ji Xiaotao asked him. "Who's in charge of your work? Do you have an assistant?"

\n\n

"I do have an assistant. As for my work...it's still directly assigned to me by President Geng."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao laughed heartily and joked, "If you can't figure out who to follow and stick with Brother Geng, that's fine. This is the gold-tier treatment, he hasn't taken on anyone new for a while."

\n\n

Yang Siran lowered his head and pursed his lips, saying softly, "Brother Geng doesn't want to take me on either."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao patted his shoulder and comforted him, "It's okay. You'll be assigned eventually. I'll speak up for you and find a good agent for you."

\n\n

In the company, Ji Xiaotao had a say, and Yang Siran sincerely thanked him, "Thank you, Brother Xiaotao. You've always taken care of me. But for now, I don't need an agent. I feel like...things are going pretty well as they are."

\n\n

"Are you silly?" Ji Xiaotao laughed at him. "Brother Geng isn't really your agent. If you don't have someone to guide you, it's easy to get lost. How could Brother Geng have time to deal with all these little things like taking on jobs? Since you came back from the crew, do you have any other plans?"

\n\n

"No," Yang Siran replied slowly. "President Geng told me not to take on random jobs and just focus on filming."

\n\n

"Well then, listen to him and focus on filming. That's the best way to stay on track," Ji Xiaotao said.

\n\n

Yang Siran nodded and said, "Yes, I'll listen to President Geng."

\n\n

Later, Ji Xiaotao mentioned this to Fang Shaoyi, saying that Yang Siran is still free and no one is managing him. After all, he is a potential good stock and can have great development if guided properly. Even if it's not because of personal interest in Yang Siran, Ji Xiaotao should still bring it up. However, Fang Shaoyi doesn't care about these things. He doesn't even recognize all of the company's agents.

\n\n

Moreover, Fang Shaoyi doesn't dare to get involved with this young man's affairs. After all, there was a scandalous rumor before, so he won't bring up too much about Yang Siran, whether it's to avoid suspicion or for other reasons.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had been away filming for over a year and hadn't come back much. Even when he did, he didn't stay here, and the grass in his yard had grown wild. He had a good reason for scheduling himself so tightly, but he didn't tell anyone what it was.

\n\n

People close to him knew anyway. Once, he was even teased about it: "You just got divorced, why don't you take this opportunity to enjoy the single life? Why are you still hanging around on set?"

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi really did hang around for over a year on the set.

\n\n

The villa was in the same state as when he left. No one had cleaned it in over a year, and the pool was filled with dirt. The property management only came to mow the lawn in the front yard and didn't dare touch anything else. When Fang Shaoyi left, he specifically instructed that no one needed to come and clean up here. It was fine to just leave it as it was. The house remained unchanged, just as it was when he left.

\n\n

After returning, Ji Xiaotao had someone come over to thoroughly clean it, mainly just dusting. Although the house had been empty for over a year, there was still dust even though no one lived there. After the cleaning, all the bedding was replaced with new ones.

\n\n

Once everything was tidied up, Fang Shaoyi took a photo and sent it to Yuan Ye, saying, "Waiting for you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied later, "I'm not going."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sent him a question mark.

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied with a smile.

\n\n

This sharp smile from Uncle Ye came unexpectedly, and Fang Shaoyi called him. Yuan Ye whispered, "I'm in a meeting, baby."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi also lowered his voice, "You dare to make a call during a meeting?"

\n\n

"The director didn't notice me, he's talking to someone else," Yuan Ye's voice lowered even more, and he casually added, "I miss you."

\n\n

Suddenly, Jiang Linchuan's loud voice came through the phone, "Who do you miss? Put me on speakerphone, let me hear who you miss."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and said, "You go ahead with your meeting."

\n\n

Yuan Ye sighed and said, "...I'll call you after the meeting."

\n\n

Three hours had passed by the time Yuan Ye finished his meeting and called Fang Shaoyi back. His voice was hoarse, "Are you asleep?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "No, I was waiting for your call."

\n\n

"My flight is the day after tomorrow," Yuan Ye laughed, "I'll be flying back then."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi also laughed, "I'll come pick you up."

\n\n

"Don't come, let Xiaotao come instead. Just do whatever you need to do," said Yuan Ye. It sounded as if he had just lit a cigarette with a small flick of his lighter.

\n\n

"Your throat is sore, smoke less," scolded Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

"Okay, okay," Yuan Ye laughed and agreed, "Sure thing."

\n\n

For the next two days, they hardly contacted each other. On the second day, Fang Shaoyi spent the whole day styling himself, trying on different outfits until he finally settled on two. When Yuan Ye returned, Ji Xiaotao offered to pick him up, but Fang Shaoyi told him to go to the company instead and drove there himself.

\n\n

The two of them were now in a state comparable to that of a passionate couple. It was as if the past ten years had never existed, and their love was just as strong as that of any young couple. Fang Shaoyi didn't dare to be too bold and get out of the car to greet Yuan Ye. Instead, he sat in the car and messaged him, telling him where to meet.

\n\n

After waiting for almost an hour, Yuan Ye finally came out. He put his things in the trunk and got into the passenger seat. He smiled at Fang Shaoyi and called him "Brother Yi".

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised his eyebrow and responded.

\n\n

On the way, Yuan Ye didn't say much, so Fang Shaoyi didn't say much either otherthan asking if Yuan Ye was tired or hungry.

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "Not hungry, but a little tired. Can I go back and take a nap?"

\n\n

"Mm," Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Go home?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was referring to their previous home, but Yuan Ye shook his head and said, "I'll go back to my place. Do you know where it is?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and nodded, "I know."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled, raised his eyebrows and asked him, "You know?"

\n\n

"I know," Fang Shaoyi chuckled. "I've always known."

\n","published_time":"2024-01-29T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-01-29T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":480,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":43,"chapter_title":"Chapter 43","content":"

As Fang Shaoyi's car pulled up downstairs, Yuan Ye grinned and tilted his head. "Want to come up and sit for a while?" he asked.

\n\n

"No, I won't. You should go upstairs and rest early," Fang Shaoyi replied.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't say much and just nodded. "Mm," he said. "I'll call you later."

\n\n

"Okay," Fang Shaoyi replied with a smile.

\n\n

After Yuan Ye went upstairs, Fang Shaoyi's smile faded and he furrowed his brows slightly. Just then, a phone call came in and Fang Shaoyi answered it on speakerphone before driving away.

\n\n

The first thing Yuan Ye did when he came back was to go to his parents' place. He hadn't been back in almost half a year. When he opened the door with his key, the old lady was startled. Yuan Ye quickly reassured her, saying, "Don't be afraid, it's me."

\n\n

"When did you come back?" The old lady's face lit up with obvious joy as she took the things from Yuan Ye's hands and wiped her hands with a piece of tissue.

\n\n

Yuan Ye hugged her and said, "I came back today. I took a nap at home in the afternoon and then came over. How is our professor?"

\n\n

"The professor went to paint," the old lady patted Yuan Ye's back and smiled so much that her eyes curved, "You've lost weight, you've gotten really thin this time."

\n\n

"I know I've lost weight," Yuan Ye smiled and said, "The food on the set wasn't good."

\n\n

Yuan Ye called his dad and asked, "Professor, where are you painting? After you're done, I'll come pick you up?"

\n\n

"You're back?" Professor Yuan asked him on the phone, "Are you at home?"

\n\n

"Yeah," Yuan Ye replied.

\n\n

Professor Yuan said, "You don't have to pick me up. I'll walk for five minutes and be there. You stay at home."

\n\n

During dinner, his mom said that Shaoyi had come twice in the past few days. Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and asked, "He came?"

\n\n

"Yes," the old lady glanced at Yuan Ye's expression and tentatively asked, "Are you two together now?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "What did he say?"

\n\n

"I couldn't ask," Mom said, "Every time Shaoyi comes, he brings a lot of gifts. I'm always worried that someone will recognize him and cause trouble for him in the neighborhood."

\n\n

"It's not a problem," Yuan Ye smiled and shook his head, "He's used to it."

\n\n

His mom asked again, "So, are you two together now?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought for a moment and said, "I guess so."

\n\n

When it came to matters of the heart, his family never spoke much about it. They didn't try to stop him from getting married before, and they haven't said much after je dod. Yuan Ye never discussed with his family about his divorce, and now that they're back together, he still didn't say much.

\n\n

At thirty-something, he doesn't need anyone to worry about him anymore. He's reached the age where he needs to take responsibility for his own life, and he knows that he alone must bear the consequences of his choices.

\n\n

That day, Professor Yuan simply told him, "Live however makes you happy. It's up to you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and replied, "I know."

\n\n

The marriage between Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi was not quite normal. The difference in their social status was too great, and their families had absolutely nothing in common. After they got married, they had almost no interaction.

\n\n

Even before their divorce, Yuan Ye couldn't call Fang Shaoyi's parents "mom and dad". It felt too strange, but calling them "uncle and aunt" didn't seem appropriate either. Perhaps they felt just as awkward around Yuan Ye, which could also be attributed to his personality.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was much more natural than him. When he wasn't filming, he often went back to his family with Yuan Ye, and he always called them "mom and dad" just like Yuan Ye did. When he came here, he didn't seem like a celebrity, just a well-mannered young man.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was much better at this than Yuan Ye.

\n\n

After spending a night at home, Yuan Ye called Fang Shaoyi the next day and greeted him with a "Brother Yi".

\n\n

"Mm," Fang Shaoyi responded, asking, "Where are you?"

\n\n

"I'm back at my mom's," Yuan Ye replied, "I heard you came over? What status do you have to come, ah?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled softly and said, "Half a son, I guess."

\n\n

Yuan Ye teased him, "If my mom really asked you if we're back together, wouldn't you feel awkward?"

\n\n

"I'll just bear it," Fang Shaoyi said, "What else can I do?"

\n\n

After their phone call, the two of them didn't get a chance to meet that day. Yuan Ye went to Old Tu's place to drink and eat meat, while Fang Shaoyi was at the company looking over some contracts and had an interview in the afternoon. Fang Shaoyi hadn't really shown his face in the charity sector in recent years, and he wasn't involved in the common charity projects.

\n\n

However, he and Yuan Ye had been continuously investing in many charity projects and funds, and the amounts were not small. A few years ago, Yuan Ye would occasionally go with Fang Shaoyi to run in mountainous areas, and he would take a lot of photos each time. But he didn't go as often anymore, as most of his time was spent with Fang Shaoyi, and the rest had to be saved for his own things.

\n\n

Today's interview was for a special feature on Fang Shaoyi, a certain fund project had been waiting for months to finally get him. They had originally wanted to interview Yuan Ye as well, but Fang Shaoyi declined, knowing that Yuan Ye wouldn't enjoy being recorded.

\n\n

Doing charity work should come from the heart, why does it always have to be put on display? Some celebrities do it to help promote the work and attract more people to join, which is understandable. But in Yuan Ye's eyes, some people are just putting on a show, flaunting everything they do, and it's extremely hypocritical.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was drinking with Old Tu, they hadn't seen each other in over six months, but he was still the same old Old Tu, not a single change.

\n\n

Old Tu asked about his current situation, but when it came to matters of the heart, Yuan Ye always remained tight-lipped. However, on this rare occasion, he spoke up and said, "Right now, I just need to work hard and clean myself up."

\n\n

"How do you plan to clean yourself up?" Old Tu looked at him with a perpetual smile and asked, "Are you a fish that you can de-scale?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and lit a cigarette before shaking his head. "It's not that extreme," he said.

\n\n

But there are still some changes that need to be made. Everyone has their own measure of what they've lost and gained. He had already figured out what he wanted, and once he did, he didn't hesitate anymore.

\n\n

But sometimes he still feels a bit scattered emotionally, and letting go of things he has held onto for years can leave him feeling lost. Even lonely.

\n\n

Before leaving the set, the director finally told him the truth. Between the lines, it was clear that he had never intended to include any scenes with He Han in the final cut. When editing the film, he wouldn't even consider including that storyline.

\n\n

The director only revealed this after having a few too many drinks, and it caught Yuan Ye completely off guard. He had never even considered this possibility before.

\n\n

Emotionally, he felt satisfied and pleased with the outcome. When looking back at the process, he could set aside Han He's efforts, since what he did was underhanded in the first place. But it wasn't just them - the entire crew, including those in He Han's acting group, had put in a lot of time and effort.

\n\n

All the scenes with the supporting actors, some of whom had even left and had to come back, were dependent on that subplot. If the director cut those scenes, it would all be for nothing. It's one thing to have wasted scenes, but the director knew what was going on and were in control of everything, which didn't feel right.

\n\n

Every person, including Yuan Ye himself, was fully focused on the new storyline that had been added, without knowing what was going on.

\n\n

Although he didn't care about any of He Han's plays, Yuan Ye had to consider how to integrate and blend the two storylines in every scene. He had to maximize the effect of each scene even when the entire script had deviated from the track, and even argued with the director every day. The props team worked tirelessly overnight to catch up with the props, but the result was that they wouldn't even appear in the movie.

\n\n

There was a big difference between how Yuan Ye would have handled things. Despite his dislike for He Han and his team, he was the kind of person who did things openly. From the very beginning, he refused to have this new storyline added to the film and no matter how difficult it was, he would not back down. However, this approach was sometimes wrong and could lead to the entire crew's efforts being wasted because of his stubbornness.

\n\n

It must be admitted that the director's approach was the most roundabout and clever. Once the movie was released and everything settled, they could do as they pleased. They didn't even have to worry about offending the investors.

\n\n

At the time, Yuan Ye asked the director, "Why bother filming so seriously if the work is all for nothing?"

\n\n

"It's not for nothing." Jiang Linchuan glanced at him, shook his head, and chuckled self-deprecatingly. "There are too many variables in filmmaking. If I can't cut it out in the end, then I'll have to include it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked, "What are the chances that you won't be able to cut it out?"

\n\n

Jiang Linchuan replied, "Very small."

\n\n

For this very small possibility, the crew of over two hundred people worked for more than a month, and a lot of money was poured into it.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi probably knew all along, but he didn't say anything. Later, Yuan Ye recalled Fang Shaoyi asking him several times to go see the director's rough cut, but Yuan Ye wasn't interested, so he didn't go. One time, he said he wanted to see it, but the director changed the subject and didn't let him.

\n\n

So, until the entire film was finished, Yuan Ye didn't know that all the effort he put into it was unnecessary. In his eyes, it was a useless script, but the director had no intention of letting it become useless from the start.

\n\n

There's no right or wrong answer to this, but if he had to force an answer, the director was right. He did everything he could to protect his film. Previously, Yuan Ye said that he had lost the most essential part of being a filmmaker, but he took back those words now. The essence of being a filmmaker is still there, and his passionate pursuit of film is still there. He can be proud of his own film.

\n\n

But this was far from Yuan Ye's principles, which even made him feel a little absurd and crazy.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had previously said that Yuan Ye could not hide his feelings from his eyes. He could see it with just one look. Although they hadn't seen each other much in the past few days, they kept in touch through messages and phone calls, and everything seemed normal.

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi knew something was off with Yuan Ye ever since he picked him up from the airport. He later guessed the reason why.

\n\n

Despite this, Yuan Ye's attitude towards him remained unchanged when they spoke, as if nothing had happened. Fang Shaoyi didn't ask him about it.

\n\n

The day before they left for France, Yuan Ye called and asked if Fang Shaoyi had gotten ready over the past few days.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said he was ready.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's voice seemed calm, yet gentle. On the other end of the phone, he reassured Fang Shaoyi, "Don't worry, I'll be with you."

\n","published_time":"2024-02-05T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-08T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-05T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":487,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":44,"chapter_title":"Chapter 44","content":"

There were four from the crew of "Wind Wanderer" who were going, plus their respective assistants and the stylist for Fang Shaoyi and another young actor. With the addition of Yuan Ye, the whole team consists of more than ten people.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye didn't travel with everyone else. They flew over three days in advance. Cannes was already surrounded by reporters, with thousands of journalists from all over the world waiting there. No celebrity arrival could be kept a secret.

\n\n

So, in order to ensure peace for the next few days, they wouldn't go directly to Cannes. They would first stop in Paris for three days and wait for the director and the rest of the team to arrive before heading to Cannes together.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao had already booked the hotel a month in advance. He had been following Fang Shaoyi for so many years, and every time they came to Europe for a film festival, it was always a challenging task. It wasn't just the film festival, but there were other events as well.

\n\n

However, Fang Shaoyi would only attend the events he couldn't avoid, and rarely showed up for anything else. Sometimes, when there were scenes to be shot overseas, Ji Xiaotao had to coordinate the timing in advance. Going abroad was a headache and a tricky business.

\n\n

Before heading to the airport, they first went to pick up Yuan Ye. When a business car arrived, Yuan Ye reached out and held Fang Shaoyi's hand, greeting him with "Brother Yi".

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi gripped his hand back and asked with a smile, "Have you eaten yet?"

\n\n

After all, there were still others in the car, so Yuan Ye didn't want to hold hands for too long. They basically just clasped hands and then pulled back. Yuan Ye smiled and said, "I've eaten."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded slightly, and Yuan Ye asked him, "Have you eaten? Have you taken your medicine?"

\n\n

"I have," Fang Shaoyi looked at him and then smiled, whispering, "Don't be nervous."

\n\n

"Mm, I've been through a hundred battles," Yuan Ye winked at him, "Just watch me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached out and traced his fingertips over Yuan Ye's head. Yuan Ye boldly tilted his head towards him, allowing him to touch more. Fang Shaoyi's small action made him smile again, and when he smiled, there were fine lines at the corners of his eyes, adding a touch of tenderness.

\n\n

As they boarded the plane, Yuan Ye handed Fang Shaoyi a neck pillow and an eye mask. Fang Shaoyi chuckled and said, "I'm not tired, let's chat for a bit."

\n\n

"Sure," Yuan Ye turned around and glanced at Ji Xiaotao and the stylist, who were chatting quietly. After locking eyes with Yuan Ye, Ji Xiaotao grinned foolishly and waved at him. Yuan Ye turned back to Fang Shaoyi and said, "Ji Xiaotao is not a kid anymore."

\n\n

"Yeah, I talked to him and wanted to keep him in the company, but he didn't want to," Fang Shaoyi whispered closely, his voice sounding intimate. "Ji Xiaotao is too sentimental. He can't let go of me and doesn't want to change jobs."

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "Let him follow you if he wants to, no rush. When he's ready to settle down and stop running back and forth, then we can let him do something else. Otherwise, no matter how much we say it's for his own good, it will seem like we have a cold heart and hurt his feelings."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and continued to chat with Yuan Ye about his work, asking, "Do you have anything to do recently? Do you need to write anything?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head and said, "I finished all the work I owed before going to the set last year. Now I only have one book to write, which Leizi has been nagging me about for too long. I'll try to write it when I get back. But to be honest, I don't have many ideas in my head. It's like having bones without meat, only a rough idea, not even a complete skeleton. But I still like what little I have."

\n\n

"Then you still want to write," Fang Shaoyi smiled and said to Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Yuan Ye fell silent for a moment, then smiled and nodded, "That's true."

\n\n

The two of them chatted casually, feeling comfortable and at ease. Yuan Ye didn't show any other emotions, in fact, he was more proactive and gentle than usual. He took the initiative to talk to Fang Shaoyi about work, sharing interesting stories and gossip from their industry, such as how Feng Leizi was practically afraid of his own shadow, or how Han San'er's Shandong accent was made fun of at a recent drinking session.

\n\n

These were topics they wouldn't normally discuss, and Yuan Ye wouldn't usually bring them up. When they were together, Yuan Ye was more accustomed to talking about Fang Shaoyi's life, discussing his movies, or simply enjoying each other's company in peaceful silence.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye laughed, Fang Shaoyi would laugh along with him. Yuan Ye said, "Do you know Taoli? You might not be familiar with him."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "It's okay, go ahead and tell me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye continued speaking, which he might not have done on a normal day, as he thought Fang Shaoyi wouldn't be interested. Fang Shaoyi was always so busy, and when he wasn't working, Yuan Ye wanted him to rest more. But now they were on a plane with plenty of free time, and Yuan Ye didn't want Fang Shaoyi to get bored, so he kept talking to entertain him.

\n\n

"Taoli is such a sly and shameless person, always asking me about things that are none of his business. He's so annoying," sighed Yuan Ye as he thought of Taoli. "And when he writes, he always goes straight for the gutter. There was a team that wanted to buy his script for a movie, but he insisted on being the sole screenwriter. His script was filled with scenes that took place in bed, and not just closed-door scenes, but almost full-on sex scenes."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked, "So what happened? Did they hire a different screenwriter?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his head. "No, they gave up. Taoli refused to compromise and sell his script unless it was exactly the way he wrote it. He's one of those pretentious writers who thinks he's too good for censorship."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and shook his head. Yuan Ye said, "Han San'er says that sometimes we are actually fools, but we always think of ourselves as rebellious and romantic heroes with steel bones and iron muscles."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't agree with this statement. He whispered to Yuan Ye, "You are a true romantic hero with steel bones and iron muscles."

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him and said, "I will change, I will make myself softer."

\n\n

"You don't need to," Fang Shaoyi frowned and said without hesitation, staring at Yuan Ye. Then he repeated, "You don't need to."

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and didn't say anything more, just nodded.

\n\n

After more than ten hours on the plane, Fang Shaoyi hadn't eaten anything the whole time, only drinking a glass of milk and two cups of coffee. Yuan Ye wouldn't let him eat either, but luckily Fang Shaoyi wasn't hungry to begin with. Later on, Yuan Ye stopped talking and just told Fang Shaoyi to close his eyes and sleep.

\n\n

Actually, Fang Shaoyi never really fell asleep as it wasn't too comfortable, but he kept his eyes closed the whole time to put Yuan Ye at ease, as if he were sleeping.

\n\n

In the middle of it all, Yuan Ye reached over a few times to touch his forehead and check his temperature. His warm palm felt really comfortable against his head.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi had his eyes closed, Yuan Ye took out a book to read. A flight attendant came over and wanted to give Fang Shaoyi a blanket, but Yuan Ye stopped her in a soft voice, "Thank you, there's no need, he's warm enough."

\n\n

As the hours passed, Fang Shaoyi's face gradually became more and more pale. By the time they landed, his lips were almost colorless and his face was completely drained of blood.

\n\n

The stylist was someone Fang Shaoyi had worked with for many years, so there was no need for any unnecessary questions.

\n\n

The hotel had sent a car to pick them up from the airport, and Yuan Ye didn't say a word to Fang Shaoyi the entire journey. Instead, he held his hand, transmitting warmth through his palm. In that moment, it was as if Yuan Ye was seeing Fang Shaoyi's vulnerability for the first time, recalling the first time they had come to Europe together when Fang Shaoyi was nervous and in pain.

\n\n

It was then that Yuan Ye realized that behind Fang Shaoyi's perfect face under those flashing lights, there was a lot of hardship.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't eat anything at all, not even a sip of water. The seven-hour time difference had completely disrupted his nervous system, rendering every nerve useless. He sat on the edge of the bed with his head down and his arms resting on his knees, his hands loosely clasped and hanging down. His white shirt and pants were still neatly worn.

\n\n

He was in great discomfort, and Yuan Ye knew it. He had a headache, nausea, and palpitations, and Yuan Ye was well aware of all of it.

\n\n

Yuan Ye took out a comfortable set of thin pajamas from the luggage and walked over to gently touch his face, speaking in a low and gentle voice, "Let me change your clothes, baby."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's breathing was heavy and rough as he replied, "It's okay, I'll change by myself later."

\n\n

One by one, Yuan Ye unbuttoned his shirt and helped him put on his pajamas. It was rare for him to take care of Fang Shaoyi like a child, because from the beginning, whether in terms of age or status, Yuan Ye was the one who needed to be taken care of. Although not to the extent of taking care of him like this, Fang Shaoyi was always the stronger one.

\n\n

So when Fang Shaoyi suddenly fainted and fell onto Yuan Ye, the 18-year-old's face was no better than Fang Shaoyi's pale complexion. He was too panicked and scared. Holding Fang Shaoyi, he felt heartbroken but didn't know what to do.

\n\n

At that time, Fang Shaoyi's assistant told Yuan Ye that there was no need to go to the hospital, and that he could just go back to the hotel and sleep. Yuan Ye sat cross-legged on Fang Shaoyi's bed, staring at him until he woke up four hours later. When Fang Shaoyi woke up, Yuan Ye's eyes were already red, and he asked him softly, "What's wrong, Brother Yi?"

\n\n

This monkey pretended to be calm, with a pitiful look on his face.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached out to him and opened his arms, his voice hoarse, "Come here."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's round head was nestled in Fang Shaoyi's neck, his eyelashes brushing against Fang Shaoyi's neck. Fang Shaoyi laughed, his chest vibrating, and asked him, "Were you scared?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded in Fang Shaoyi's neck, not saying a word. Fang Shaoyi held the back of Yuan Ye's head with one hand and gently stroked it, saying, "Don't panic, everything's fine."

\n\n

"Why shouldn't I panic?" Yuan Ye's voice came from inside, sounding muffled. "You collapsed without saying a word, my heart almost jumped out of my chest."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled and said, "Then why don't you spit it out so I can see?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye opened his mouth as if to vomit, but instead he bit down on Fang Shaoyi's neck, clenching his teeth in frustration. Fang Shaoyi hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just smiled, patted Yuan Ye's head and said nothing, letting him be.

\n\n

At that time, Yuan Ye was still a young child who had not experienced much in life and had never felt such intense and sudden emotions before. He didn't know how to deal with it.

\n\n

Grinding his teeth while holding onto someone's neck, the end result was that the shirt he had already picked out for the film festival was no longer suitable, and he had to hastily switch to a turtleneck under his suit.

\n\n

Many of his first emotional experiences came from Fang Shaoyi. The impression left on him was so deep that every time Fang Shaoyi went to a place with a time difference, he would become very nervous. Even though he had experienced many things since then, and even though he was now called "Uncle" by children, he still felt nervous.

\n\n

After waking up from a nap, Fang Shaoyi quietly looked at Yuan Ye and suddenly laughed, asking him, "Are you going to bite?"

\n\n

These five words seemed to come from fifteen years ago, carrying a sense of time travel.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat on the sofa next to him, his eyes shining with a gentle and distant light. He pretended to bite at Fang Shaoyi, then walked over and bent down to give him a gentle kiss on the neck.

\n\n

As his lips touched the pulsing vein, it felt as though he had touched a heartbeat - as if he had kissed a heart that was both tender and strong.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-12T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-15T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-12T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":494,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":45,"chapter_title":"Chapter 45","content":"

Fang Shaoyi's jet lag was innate, a strange illness that may or may not be considered a disease. Jet lag would cause his nervous system to go haywire, and the greater the time difference, the more severe the impact.

\n\n

It was only through Fang Shaoyi that Yuan Ye first learned of this condition. Jet lag could cause his biological mechanisms to go awry, and while others may only need a nap to recover from jet lag, Fang Shaoyi may need three or four days or even more, during which he could hardly do anything and felt extremely uncomfortable.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's profession meant that traveling abroad and dealing with jet lag are commonplace. But for him, jet lag is a real limitation, so before every trip abroad, Ji Xiaotao must arrange his schedule properly and leave a few days before and after the trip. If the time was too tight, he will push back any activities abroad.

\n\n

Only those close to him know about this, while others simply think Fang Shaoyi is too aloof to attend events. In reality, he just can't handle jet lag.

\n\n

During his stay in Paris, Fang Shaoyi didn't venture out much. Occasionally, when the weather was nice, he would invite Yuan Ye to take a walk and enjoy the breeze.

\n\n

The stylist was out from dawn till late at night. How could anyone in the fashion industry stay put in a hotel after arriving in France? Even before he arrived, he had already arranged for a packed schedule.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao sometimes followed the two guys around, but most of the time, he stayed in the hotel or went out to find some delicious food to bring back for them.

\n\n

There was no need to be pretentious and book two separate rooms now that they were here. Besides, Yuan Ye didn't want to leave Fang Shaoyi alone in his current state, so they all stayed together.

\n\n

Since returning from the set, the two of them hadn't talked about the movie. Yuan Ye hadn't shared his thoughts, and Fang Shaoyi hadn't brought it up either. Yuan Ye hadn't shown any signs of disliking the topic, keeping his emotions hidden beneath the surface.

\n\n

Whether he was resistant or conflicted, he was digesting it all on his own. Fang Shaoyi's jet lag had left him in a vulnerable state, in need of careful attention. These past few days, Yuan Ye had been speaking to him in a soft, gentle voice.

\n\n

On their last night in Paris, Fang Shaoyi played the pity card.

\n\n

Under the warm yellow light, Yuan Ye was reading the script that Ning Lu had sent him on his phone. The more he read, the more he furrowed his brow. Finally, he let out a "tsk" and began rapidly scrolling through the pages.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him, "What's wrong?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye said to him, "Ning Lu, this silly son, he's over thirty but his brain is filled with water, making him an easy target for manipulation."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow in doubt, and Yuan Ye continued, "He spent a lot of money buying a script from Shi Song, but it's completely unworkable. He's treating it like a treasure and carrying it around, afraid someone will steal it. I told him to rewrite it, and he formed a group of screenwriters and the writing is going nowhere."

\n\n

"Shi Song?" Fang Shaoyi thought for a moment. "The one who wrote "Ten Steps to Red Dust"? There shouldn't be a problem. I remember you got along well with him when filming 'Ten Steps to Red Dust'."

\n\n

"Yea, it's him," Yuan Ye sneered. "Shi-laoshi is a veteran screenwriter, but that book was probably just cobbled together by his junior writers, each writing a little here and there. It's common practice to put someone's name on something to fool investors."

\n\n

"Did he not consult with you before buying it?" Fang Shaoyi asked.

\n\n

Yuan Ye gave him a glance and said with a half-smile, "I had just finished filming a variety show at the time and disappeared for a while."

\n\n

At that time, Yuan Ye was dealing with his own divorce and had declared his intention to pursue Fang Shaoyi again. He cut off contact with the outside world to find some peace. Fang Shaoyi smiled and Yuan Ye picked up his phone and sent a voice message to Ning Lu, "I've seen it, it's not great. I told you to sell it at a lower price, but you didn't listen. When I get back, come to my house and I'll explain it to you in detail."

\n\n

Ning Lu replied quickly, he was probably waiting for his message: "Still not good enough? Master... I didn't expect to win any awards with this, just as long as I don't lose money and make a little profit. Can you lower your standards a bit and take another look? How about hiring two box office stars for a popcorn movie?"

\n\n

Even Fang Shaoyi laughed at his comment. Yuan Ye looked at him helplessly and replied, "You didn't expect to win any awards... what are you even expecting? With this piece of junk... weren't you planning to invest 60 million? That money isn't even enough to hire that level of star. Don't act so naive with me, wait till I get back. You little cutie."

\n\n

After Yuan Ye finished speaking, he threw his phone and shook his head, saying, "Guan Zhou always says that Ning Lu becomes more and more brainless as he gets older. I didn't take it seriously before, but now I'm starting to worry."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had eaten something that didn't agree with him and was feeling a bit nauseous. He slowly sipped on his tea while lying down. He had put down his phone when he called out to him, "Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye responded with a smile, "Yea, what's up?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi blinked and looked at him, "Let's chat."

\n\n

Yuan Ye could sense something in his gaze and paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "Sure, let's chat."

\n\n

What is there left to talk about? Their understanding of each other goes deep down to the bone, knowing exactly what the other is thinking without even needing to speak. They share similar values and have a general compatibility, but there are still individual differences mixed in. These differences are determined by their upbringing, personalities, and ways of handling things.

\n\n

They're not something that appeared suddenly, nor will they disappear in the future.

\n\n

At the time, Fang Shaoyi didn't directly tell Yuan Ye about the director's plan. One reason was that he was afraid Yuan Ye wouldn't be able to accept it. Yuan Ye had always been kept in the dark, and Fang Shaoyi felt that it was absurd and unbelievable. He could understand, but deep down he felt that this approach was not straightforward enough.

\n\n

However, he didn't blame himself for it. Yuan Ye was not one of the "few people" who tried to control everything and didn't need to force himself to make compromises. The other reason was that he couldn't bring himself to speak up. It was difficult to talk to Yuan Ye directly, and he didn't want to reveal the thoughts and actions behind the scenes in the industry.

\n\n

He was part of the industry too, and when Yuan Ye resisted and doubted these things, Fang Shaoyi couldn't just remove himself from the situation.

\n\n

Yuan Ye understood, so he spoke earnestly, "I know, I understand. I don't think much about it. I know everyone has their own difficulties, you don't have to say it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi held a cup in his hand and spun it gently on the palm of his other hand. Yuan Ye's eyes were clear, a rare sight in the eyes of a thirty-something adult, very insightful. Fang Shaoyi said, "I'll try not to make you feel conflicted."

\n\n

He hadn't fully recovered from jet lag, his complexion still not back to normal. In this state, he said such words, and Yuan Ye felt like his heart had been pierced. Yuan Ye quickly shook his head, "No, there's really no need. I've been with you for a while now, I can handle my own emotions."

\n\n

It started as a casual chat, discussing the unspoken barriers of the outside world and sharing their inner thoughts. Both were sincere and honest, two hearts coming closer together.

\n\n

Then, after taking a sip of tea, Fang Shaoyi slowly said, "I've been considering it since last year. I may take on fewer acting jobs and invest more in my personal life...I'm not young anymore, I should take a break."

\n\n

This statement caused a big reaction from Yuan Ye, who was sitting with one leg crossed on the bed. He even stood up and stared at Fang Shaoyi, saying, "...Don't joke around."

\n\n

"I'm not joking," Fang Shaoyi smiled. "I've been acting for twenty years, it's been a long time. Life can't always be about doing the same thing, right?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and shook his head, "It's impossible, don't say anymore."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi placed his cup aside and reached out his hand to Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye's lips moved slightly as he walked over and lightly touched his hand, then said, "I'm going to smoke."

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew Fang Shaoyi too well, he never said anything lightly.

\n\n

Because of Fang Shaoyi's words, the atmosphere between the two suddenly became different. Ji Xiaotao was sensitive enough to feel that something was up with the two, but it probably wasn't a big deal. After all, they were always like this, always spicing things up.

\n\n

After Director Xin arrived in Paris, Fang Shaoyi and the team headed with them to Cannes. Being there was different from being here, the atmosphere was not as relaxed. It was tense from morning till night, as this was a social scene where people from the film industry all over the world gathered.

\n\n

Many artists who did not have invites also came shamelessly. It was a grand event, and not just about the fame and glory of the red carpet. The value beyond that was difficult to estimate for many people here.

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye came with them to the event, he didn't actually go to the venue. The atmosphere there was suffocating for him. Some of Yuan Ye's literary friends were also there, some came on their own initiative, while others were brought along by the director to make up the numbers.

\n\n

While the stars were shining brightly, Yuan Ye and his friends found a place to eat and drink. One of them was watching the live stream online, with the image constantly refreshing. Yuan Ye pointed at him and said, "What a waste of time. Why don't you go to the venue and watch it live?"

\n\n

"Would being there be more exciting than here?" the person chuckled. "Who cares about the live stream? I'm reading the insincere compliments from netizens."

\n\n

"Why do you care what people say," Yuan Ye couldn't understand him. "People can say whatever they want."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't care for the commotion and had no interest in watching. After a while, the person across from him pushed their phone over and gave him a look, signaling him to take a look. "Here, it's your family member, your Brother Yi."

\n\n

Yuan Ye chuckled and didn't push the phone back. He grabbed it and swiped through the screen. Fang Shaoyi was dressed in a suit and had one hand in his pocket while chatting with Director Wei Hua. He was smiling softly with his head lowered.

\n\n

The photos weren't taken up close, but from a distance. Fang Shaoyi's demeanor was impeccable, and he was handsome both in terms of his physique and face. Netizens said that his smile was like that of a textbook male god, and they were singing his praises.

\n\n

But after all, he had divorced with Yuan Ye before, and he also kept it from the audience while appearing on variety shows. Later, he even had scandals, which greatly affected the audience's evaluation of him.

\n\n

In the past, Fang Shaoyi had no zero negative reviews, but in recent years, he relied on his strength to speak and kept a low profile without causing any trouble. His popularity with the audience was quite good. Last year's scandal caused many people to mock him as a hypocrite and question his character in the comments.

\n\n

There was nothing he could do about it. He did indeed get divorced, appear on variety shows, and had scandals. If it were in the past, Yuan Ye might have found these things very glaring and couldn't bear to hear others talk about Fang Shaoyi. But now, he had become more open-minded and didn't care as much.

\n\n

He pushed his phone back and smiled, saying, "Not all netizens' comments are insincere compliments. I think their praise is quite good."

\n\n

As soon as he spoke, everyone laughed and said he had no shame. Yuan Ye shrugged and took a sip of his drink.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was born to be this kind of person. He always shone brightly and could still be cheerful in this kind of environment. Director Wei was one of the top directors in the country, and his reputation was solid. Fang Shaoyi had worked with him many times, and some people said that Fang Shaoyi was Director Wei's chosen actor. This was not untrue, as he often had a role in Director Wei's movies.

\n\n

His moon hung high in the sky, calm and steady.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said he wanted to take a break. He had been acting for twenty years, it was long enough.

\n\n

Thinking of this, Yuan Ye's fingers involuntarily twitched. He picked up his glass and took another sip, frowning lightly.

\n\n

That was absolutely impossible. It couldn't happen.

\n\n

In everyone's life, there are important guides, whether it be a mentor or a wise elder. For Fang Shaoyi, Wei Hua was definitely one of his most important guides. At the age of sixteen, Fang Shaoyi's first role was in a film directed by Wei Hua. The two hundred takes of smiling in that film elevated Fang Shaoyi's career from the very beginning, allowing him to start off on a higher level than others.

\n\n

While he had natural talent and charisma, Wei Hua's polishing and guidance were also crucial. In subsequent films, Wei Hua continued to work with him, from his teenage years to the present day. Whenever Wei Hua wanted to make a film and there was a suitable role, he always thought of Fang Shaoyi first.

\n\n

In this circle, people are indifferent and emotionally detached, but there are still pure emotions, mutual respect, selfless teaching and support. The starting point may be a love for movies, for the sake of movies without any other impurities, or it may simply be pure appreciation. This is human nature, and if one were to put it another way, it is also kindness.

\n\n

"Are you feeling okay? Can you handle it?" Wei Hua asked Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was much taller, so he lowered his head and said, "I'm fine. I came a few days early."

\n\n

"I see your complexion isn't too bad," Wei Hua spoke to Fang Shaoyi with a sense of closeness between an elder and a younger person. They hadn't seen each other in almost a year, but it didn't feel awkward. "Let's catch up at my place later."

\n\n

"Sure," said Fang Shaoyi, "I'll come over to your place for dinner when I'm back, I'm craving for Shi-laoshi's pancakes."

\n\n

Director Wei laughed, "Alright, I'll have her make some for you."

\n\n

Before wrapping his latest film, Fang Shaoyi had already received a new script from Director Wei. It was an artistic film, still in its early stages, but with Director Wei's signature style and intense emotions. Fang Shaoyi was eager to be a part of it.

\n\n

Director Wei said, "Your role is crucial, so I need you to hold it properly. I haven't found the actress yet, but it's likely going to be a newcomer. You'll have to help me bring her up."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent, looking at Director Wei. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Leader, do you have any backup options?"

\n\n

Director Wei glanced at him and said without hesitation, "No, the script is based on you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent, so Director Wei asked him, "What's wrong? Can't adjust your schedule? Where are you in terms of availability? Let me hear."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't lie and simply said, "No, it's not about my schedule. I just want to take some time to sort myself out, take a break, and reflect."

\n\n

"You don't need to reflect," Wei Hua waved his hand and said, "I've been keeping an eye on you and you haven't disappointed me. I've seen 'Wind Wanderer', it's good."

\n\n

The conversation had reached its limit and it wasn't appropriate to continue. Fang Shaoyi closed his mouth, lowered his head, and chuckled softly, saying, "You've been watching me all this time, the pressure is too much for me."

\n\n

Wei Hua looked closely at him. His deep eyes always seemed to be able to see through everything. Director Wei said to him at the time, "Film is art, and that's what you do. When you enter this industry, you must be prepared to die in this industry. Film is not a profession. If you say it exists, it exists. If you say it doesn't, it doesn't. It is both a tangible object and a fanciful concept. All the ups and downs of life are thought up, and thoughts are put together to make a film. As long as you still have thoughts, you cannot retreat."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't interrupt, so Director Wei continued, "There is no way out for people in the film industry. Look at me, I'm sixty years old, and I'm still going strong."

\n\n

This wasn't a conversation that could go on for a long time, so Fang Shaoyi didn't delve further. He nodded and said, "Okay, leader."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao ran a long way and finally arrived at Fang Shaoyi's location. He first greeted Director Wei with a nod and a smile, "Hello, Director!"

\n\n

As they were familiar with each other, Director Wei also smiled kindly at him. Ji Xiaotao whispered to Fang Shaoyi, "Boss, you can't keep chatting with Director Wei here! Director Xin's crew is waiting for you. He asked me to bring you over, which crew are you from!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied, "I got it."

\n\n

After Ji Xiaotao finished speaking, he glanced at Director Wei and whispered, "Even your own actors are unhappy with you for not being able to find you. What are you two chatting about here?"

\n\n

Wei Hua waved his hand and smiled, "Okay, I got it, I got it."

\n","published_time":"2024-02-19T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-22T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":501,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":46,"chapter_title":"Chapter 46","content":"

Director Wei referred to Fang Shaoyi as a "filmmaker," not an "artist." Fang Shaoyi had been honing his craft in the film industry for twenty years, and he exuded the essence of cinema. He possessed a cinematic soul, and he belonged to the world of film.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much at the time, they could always chat more later.

\n\n

Many people left after the opening ceremony, only to return for the closing ceremony. But Fang Shaoyi couldn't endure the travel and stayed until the very end.

\n\n

His jet lag is more unbearable than ever, and coming back was another difficult few days. This time, Yuan Ye went straight back to Fang Shaoyi's place with them. It was completely different from when Yuan Ye came to pick up things last time. The feeling of dilapidation and desolation was gone, and it was more like when he hadn't moved out yet, everywhere was full of vitality.

\n\n

"I felt like I was in a haunted house when I came last time," Yuan Ye said.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and made a soft "Mm" sound. He spoke with some difficulty, his breathing was heavy, "I didn't have anyone come to clean up."

\n\n

Yuan Ye had lived here for ten years, this was his own home, and he was more familiar with this place than anywhere else.

\n\n

Ning Lu couldn't wait for Yuan Ye to return, eagerly anticipating his arrival. He had waited for this moment for what felt like an eternity. Yuan Ye let him come over. Ning Lu had been here many times before, so he knew the way like the back of his hand. He spent the whole afternoon chatting with Yuan Ye in the backyard, drinking two pots of tea.

\n\n

Ning Lu loved the story he had bought and was determined to make it into a film. Yuan Ye couldn't understand him, but he didn't try to dissuade him either. After all, there was no need to take away someone's love for something, even if it seemed inexplicable to others. Sometimes in life, people need these impulsive passions, regardless of their origins.

\n\n

If he loved it, then Yuan Ye had to help him. They had grown up together, and no matter how much he protested, he couldn't just let him go and waste money on his own.

\n\n

Yuan Ye contacted several screenwriter friends he was familiar with and inquired about their availability. It was really just a matter of luck, but he didn't expect to find one who was currently free, which was rare. It was a stroke of luck that Ning Lu managed to find an experienced screenwriter who happened to have some free time.

\n\n

Originally, this person had a project scheduled during this time, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, it was put on hold. Yuan Ye told the screenwriter, "Please help us out, Brother Jian. My brother wants to make this film. He's a good guy, but he doesn't know much about this. Can you guide him a little?"

\n\n

After discussing the matter over the phone, the deal was almost done. Yuan Ye and Ning Lu said, "Settle the payment quickly. Pay for each step at a time, don't give it all in one shot, but also don't delay."

\n\n

Ning Lu nodded as Yuan Ye spoke to him again, "If you really want to get into the film industry, you need to find a reliable literary planner and pay for someone with experience and good insight. Don't try to come up with ideas on your own and buy a script anymore, you won't know what to look for."

\n\n

Ning Lu looked at him without hesitation and said, "I won't look for one, you can be my planner, just name your price, bro."

\n\n

Yuan Ye took a drag of his cigarette, frowned, and kicked his chair while looking at him sideways, "Bullshit."

\n\n

Ning Lu chuckled and leaned towards Yuan Ye, "Who else can I ask? I can't trust anyone else but you."

\n\n

Yuan Ye replied, "You don't need to ask me, I won't just leave you in the lurch. But there will be times when you can't find me, and you need someone to work with you and come up with ideas for scripts."

\n\n

Ning Lu shook his head. "Let's talk about it later. Don't you know me? I always crave something new. I might not even do movies for more than a few years."

\n\n

That day, Ning Lu had lunch here with Yuan Ye. There was a big aunt who cooked for them. She steamed some beef buns, made soup, and a few dishes. Fang Shaoyi didn't have much of an appetite, but he still came down to eat with them. He had a bun and a bowl of soup.

\n\n

Ning Lu and Fang Shaoyi hadn't seen each other in a long time, but they were still on good terms. They had known each other for many years. While eating, they chatted for a while. Ning Lu asked about the movie industry, and Fang Shaoyi told him some things.

\n\n

In the past two years, Ning Lu had invested in two movies, and both had made a profit. He started making movies just for fun, but he also had good luck in making money.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said to him, "Try not to invest all your capital in the project, like you did before. Just take a small portion. Whether the movie makes money or not, and how much it makes, is all a matter of chance. You don't understand this, and investing all your capital is too risky."

\n\n

"I don't plan to invest too much," Ning Lu said. "Even if I did, I wouldn't take it all."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and smiled. "With a budget of 50 million, you'll probably end up spending close to 100 million. Making a movie is like a bottomless pit. In the end, you may not make any profit. It's not worth the risk."

\n\n

"My Brother Yi is speaking for your own good," Yuan Ye said from the side. "He's advising you not to run into a brick wall."

\n\n

"Okay," Ning Lu quickly drank his soup and said with a smile, "Thank you, two masters."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had been busy filming and had a tight schedule, but now that all the scenes were shot and there was no need for promotion activities, it felt like he was on vacation. Life suddenly slowed down, and besides going to the gym to work out and occasionally visiting the company, he had nothing else to do. He watched plays, read books, practiced boxing in the morning, and spent the rest of his time with Yuan Ye.

\n\n

Yuan Ye lived in two places, sometimes with Fang Shaoyi and sometimes on his own. While Fang Shaoyi was free, Yuan Ye's affairs instead seemed to increase. He had many things to do, and since he had previously freed up his time to film, he had to catch up on his own work.

\n\n

Sometimes Fang Shaoyi would act as his driver, picking him up and dropping him off, and he was very competent. When Yuan Ye wasn't working, he spent a lot of time with Fang Shaoyi. They might not do anything in particular, but just being together was enough.

\n\n

Old-fashioned romance with its passionate intensity was great, but a calm and gentle love was also good.

\n\n

One day, Yuan Ye didn't have much to do, and Fang Shaoyi had to attend a meeting at the company, so Yuan Ye went with him. It was a regular meeting held at the beginning of the month, and Fang Shaoyi hadn't attended in a while, so Geng Jinwei asked him to show up.

\n\n

Yuan Ye sat on the side and listened, taking a look at the new employees in the company, who were all quite impressive. He had only seen Yang Siran here, but the young man didn't seem to be in a good mood today. Yang Siran's agent was a seasoned one in the company, surnamed Qi, who was almost forty years old and quite a decent person. After the meeting, Yang Siran greeted Yuan Ye, who patted his shoulder and said, "Take it easy."

\n\n

Yang Siran's face looked a bit dejected. He nodded and pursed his lips, saying, "Thank you, Brother Yuan Ye."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and asked, "Is something bothering you? You don't seem very happy."

\n\n

Yang Siran shook his head, smiled, and whispered, "No, maybe I'm just a little tired from training these past few days. I don't feel too good."

\n\n

"What kind of training?" Yuan Ye asked.

\n\n

"Physical fitness, vocal training, and acting," Yang Siran replied.

\n\n

"Ah," Yuan Ye didn't want to ask too much since he was unwilling to speak more, so he just said to him, "Practice well."

\n\n

"Okay, thank you, Brother Yuan Ye," Yang Siran nodded politely.

\n\n

When Ji Xiaotao came back, he naturally had to be detained by Geng Jinwei at the company. It was impossible for him to imagine going on vacation like Fang Shaoyi. Before Yang Siran went downstairs, he also nodded at Ji Xiaotao and called out, "Brother Xiaotao."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao smiled at him, and after Yang Siran left, Ji Xiaotao said to Yuan Ye, "He looks soft, but he's actually difficult to handle."

\n\n

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows, "Why?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao said, "He's changed three agents, but none of them are good enough."

\n\n

This was really unexpected. Yuan Ye asked, "What's the reason?"

\n\n

"No chemistry," said Ji Xiaotao to Yuan Ye as they walked downstairs together, "he said he couldn't match well with the agent. He wouldn't follow any of their arrangements."

\n\n

Yang Siran still looked pitifully helpless, and it was hard to imagine that he wouldn't cooperate with work. Yuan Ye asked, "What about President Geng? Is his temper so good now? With all the chaos caused by this newbie, why isn't he doing anything?"

\n\n

"I don't know," Ji Xiaotao replied. "I can't tell what he's thinking. But this time, Brother Geng also said that Brother Qi will be his last agent."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't pay much attention to these things and just nodded after listening. "These young people nowadays are hard to understand. I don't know what they're thinking. There's a generation gap."

\n\n

"You should forget about it," said Ji Xiaotao with a smile. "You weren't on the same wavelength as them even when you're wrong. There's a generation gap even between you and them."

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't help but laugh at his words and shrugged innocently.

\n\n

After Yang Siran went downstairs, he went to his agent's office and called out, "Brother Qi."

\n\n

The agent told him to sit down, but Yang Siran declined and said, "I'll stand for a while, thanks."

\n\n

The agent didn't mind and went on to discuss his upcoming projects. "Our company is about to start filming a new drama. I'll get you a role in it. There are a few people from our company in it, so make sure you get along with them. We're all from the same company, so let's not cause any conflicts."

\n\n

Yang Siran didn't say anything and hesitated with a furrowed brow. He neither accepted nor declined the offer. The agent looked up at him and called out, "Didn't you hear what I said?"

\n\n

Yang Siran took a moment before replying, "I don't want to make movies." The agent laughed without any warmth and asked, "Then what do you want to do? Don't be difficult with me. You have to listen to what I tell you to do. This isn't a democracy. You can't refuse."

\n\n

In reality, the agent was already being polite. The relationship between agents and new artists without connections was one of absolute command and execution. Newcomers had no right to say no. Even if they were asked to do something as low as selling their bodies, they had to comply.

\n\n

The agent was their guide in this industry. If you offended him, how could you survive? Where would he lead you?

\n\n

But their company didn't have any really dirty agents. Each had their own methods, some were shady, but not too dirty. The agent said to Yang Siran, "You're lucky to have signed with us, but don't be so naive just because you haven't met any bad people. You can only do what I tell you to do. From now on, if you say the word 'no', you'll be put on a break for a month. You can rest as much as you want, I don't care, I don't need you."

\n\n

These two sentences made Yang Siran's face turn pale. He kept his lips tightly closed and didn't say a word in the end.

\n","published_time":"2024-02-26T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-01-29T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-02-26T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":509,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":47,"chapter_title":"Chapter 47","content":"

During the summer, Yuan Ye went with Fang Shaoyi to visit his parents and stayed for ten days. His old man had finished filming his latest drama and was now preparing for his next movie. While they were there, the old man talked to Yuan Ye about the script for several days. Yuan Ye had to use all his brain power to think about it because this was his own leader, and there was a difference between him and other leaders.

\n\n

When there were disagreements with others, Yuan Ye would say whatever he thought. Sometimes his words were direct and sharp, but when he faced Fang Han, he was more restrained and tactful. He couldn't be too arrogant because this was his father-in-law.

\n\n

"Enough, we're here on vacation," Fang Shaoyi stood at the door of the study and curled his fingers to knock on the door. He had a faint smile on his face. "Yuan Ye, let's go out for a walk."

\n\n

"Wait, I'm not finished yet. Why are you interrupting?" Fang Han glanced at Fang Shaoyi and ignored him. "Go out with your mother."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi walked in and sat on the armrest of the sofa, casually draping his arm around his father's shoulder. "You make Yuan Ye work for you every day, are you going to pay him screenwriting fees? Either give me the money now, or we'll have to go for a walk."

\n\n

"Don't be ridiculous," Yuan Ye laughed and nudged him with his elbow. "Don't use my name to ask for money, don't cause trouble."

\n\n

"Will you give it or not?" Fang Shaoyi looked at his father and asked.

\n\n

Fang Han nodded and smiled, "I'll give you the money."

\n\n

"I won't charge you too much, just give me a hundred thousand." Fang Shaoyi lightly tapped his father's shoulder with his finger, looking very relaxed. With a smirk,

\n\n

Fang Han stood up and went to his drawer to grab the check. But Yuan Ye quickly stopped him, grabbing his arm and saying, "Hey, Dad."

\n\n

"What's up?" Fang Han raised an eyebrow at him.

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and said, "I also need to dare to take it too. Don't tease me anymore."

\n\n

"I dare to take it," Fang Shaoyi pulled him back and said, "I wanted it, it doesn't count as yours."

\n\n

In the end, Fang Shaoyi really took the money, taking a hundred thousand from his dad. Yuan Ye was speechless and later said to him privately, "This is crazy, asking my father-in-law for money."

\n\n

"What's there to be afraid of?" Fang Shaoyi leaned against the headboard, reading a book without looking up, just smiling. "He's using my person to work, shouldn't I get paid?"

\n\n

"Black-hearted businessman," Yuan Ye called him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded calmly, "You're absolutely right."

\n\n

Before they left, they had agreed to go on vacation. Fang Shaoyi did indeed go on vacation, enjoying the comfortable temperature and scenery of the small seaside town. He looked at flowers and birds, and even went out to sea on a fishing boat. However, Yuan Ye worked hard for several days.

\n\n

After they returned, Fang Shaoyi used the 100,000 yuan to buy Yuan Ye a watch.

\n\n

After putting it on, Yuan Ye said, "Thank you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi replied, "No need to thank me."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed, "You used my hard-earned money to buy me a gift, and I still have to thank you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked a bit innocent, "I didn't ask you to thank me, Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

"Yes," Yuan Ye smiled and shook his head, "Yes."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's birthday was at the end of August, and he had planned to go to a small island for a few days. However, he had too many things to do and couldn't get away. Besides, he didn't care much about birthdays as he got older, so he couldn't make it in the end.

\n\n

But even though Yuan Ye didn't care, Fang Shaoyi did. Despite the canceled plans, Fang Shaoyi still put a lot of effort into celebrating Yuan Ye's birthday. He prepared gifts, gave him a car, made a cake, and even posted a Weibo, tagging Yuan Ye to wish him a happy birthday.

\n\n

The two of them drank a little at a friend's newly opened villa that day.

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought Fang Shaoyi was making a fuss, saying he was too old to do this. After dinner, they went for a walk, with Yuan Ye sitting on a tree and Fang Shaoyi sitting on a chair under the tree. Yuan Ye said, "It's so embarrassing."

\n\n

"Stop being so shy," said Fang Shaoyi as he held a rose in his hand. He had left the rest in the room. Yuan Ye had only picked this one to hold. After a while, it became Fang Shaoyi who was holding it.

\n\n

"My face is tender," Yuan Ye chuckled. "I'm thin-skinned."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled but didn't say anything. Both of them looked at the water, one from below and the other from a tree. After a while, Fang Shaoyi suddenly asked, "How old are you?"

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye didn't know what he meant, he still answered, "Thirty-four."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded slowly and said, "Back then, you were seventeen."

\n\n

It was as if time had doubled. The thought was both surreal and astonishing.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi stood up and walked a few steps towards Yuan Ye. He looked up and said, "Come down."

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at him and asked with a smile, "Can you catch me?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said he could.

\n\n

Turning around, Fang Shaoyi saw Yuan Ye jump down. Yuan Ye wrapped his legs around Fang Shaoyi's waist and his arms around his neck, like a monkey on his back. Fang Shaoyi was much stronger now than he was before, not as weak as he used to be. He stumbled a bit under Yuan Ye's sudden weight, but managed to stay on his feet and not let Yuan Ye fall to the ground.

\n\n

Bending slightly, Yuan Ye asked him, "Am I heavy?"

\n\n

"Not at all," Fang Shaoyi replied, carrying him on his back and saying, "It's been a long time since I carried you like this."

\n\n

They were in love, just like before, but there was something different. In the past, they rarely had such leisurely times. They would often fly to different sets, even when they weren't filming, they were always busy preparing for the next project or running promotions. Even when they went on vacation, they had to strictly follow a schedule, as if it were a job.

\n\n

Now, Fang Shaoyi didn't have any major projects taking up his time, except for the upcoming promotion of "Wind Wanderer". The fast-paced life suddenly came to a halt, but Yuan Ye instead became the busier one.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't take on the role in Director Wei's film, which was something that he and Yuan Ye had disagreed on for a long time.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said to him, "Just by looking at the script, I can see that this is a great play. Just based on the emotional value and the storyline, you should definitely take it."
\n
\nFang Shaoyi was shaving in front of the mirror, feeling his stubble and continuing to shave. "There are so many passionate scenes, with kissing and bed scenes," he said.
\n
\nYuan Ye joked, "Sacrificing yourself for art, huh?"
\n
\nFang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and turned to him. "You said that? You want me to sacrifice myself?"
\n
\nYuan Ye quickly laughed and shook his head. "That's impossible. I was just talking nonsense. Shoot how you always did in the past."
\n
\nAs Fang Shaoyi walked past him, he playfully flicked his head and said, "I won't take it. All the passionate scenes will be done by a stunt double, and that will just cause trouble for the director."

\n\n

Actually, it was just an excuse he came up with on the spot, it wasn't a big deal at all. Fang Shaoyi had no intention of taking on the job.

\n\n

Yuan Ye wiped the smile off his face and spoke seriously to him, "Brother Yi, you've been resting for four months now. How much longer do you plan to rest for?"

\n\n

"I haven't decided yet," Fang Shaoyi changed his clothes and shrugged his shoulders, taking off his pajamas. "Isn't it good now?"

\n\n

"What's good about it?" Yuan Ye frowned. "It's the films you like, and there are obligations you can't avoid. Why don't you take it? What are you thinking?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi finished changing and came over to pull him downstairs, saying as they walked, "I'm tired, I need a break."

\n\n

"You're not tired at all," Yuan Ye was a bit annoyed. "The shooting doesn't start until next month, will you still be tired then?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pressed his hand on his head and shook it twice before saying, "If I'm not tired then, I'll take on something else."

\n\n

Yuan Ye tilted his head to the side and the two of them went downstairs. Fang Shaoyi went to the kitchen to make breakfast while Yuan Ye followed behind. The porridge had been cooking on a timer since last night. When Yuan Ye was scooping the porridge, a drop spilled onto his hand and it was a bit hot. He put his finger to his mouth and sucked on it before suddenly speaking to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother Yi, I hope you're not doing this for me."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't even pause in his actions and looked like he didn't take it seriously, "Do what for you? Not taking on jobs for your sake?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye just frowned and looked at him without saying anything.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi laughed and told him, "Wild Concubine, stop overthinking things. I don't have any hidden motives."

\n\n

They knew each other too well, understanding each other's pain points and weaknesses, as well as what they each dreaded the most. Yuan Ye said, "We're both at this age, not to mention adults, I think we're almost elderly. Be more mature, don't be foolish."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi picked up where he left off, "Then why don't we just live like elderly people?"

\n\n

"Bullshit." This was the second time Yuan Ye had spoken like this all morning. This matter had been weighing on his mind, and Fang Shaoyi had been rejecting scripts and other work, leaving Yuan Ye anxious. Since he had already brought it up today, he might as well talk about it and be direct.

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked at Fang Shaoyi and said, "You know what I fear the most. If it comes down to it and I have to compromise by asking you not to act, and you lose all of this because of me, then I would rather..."

\n\n

"What would you rather?" Yuan Ye's words were cut off by Fang Shaoyi, who stared at him intensely, his eyes suddenly becoming oppressive. "Say it," he demanded.

\n\n

Yuan Ye shut his mouth, remaining silent.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice was low as he continued to question him, "What would you rather?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, turning his head to the side. The entire space fell silent, with no one eating or speaking. Yuan Ye sat there, not making a sound, while Fang Shaoyi watched him from across the table, maintaining this state for a long time.

\n\n

Eventually, Yuan Ye turned his head back and sighed, saying, "You are the most important person to me."

\n\n

This statement may sound like a conciliatory gesture, but Yuan Ye meant it from the bottom of his heart. He didn't need Fang Shaoyi to sacrifice himself for the sake of their harmony and stability, nor could he accept such a crude and simplistic solution. It was simply a joke, and simply impossible.

\n\n

However, saying this now had the opposite effect.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sneered and stared at Yuan Ye, asking him, "I am the most important, so what does that mean? What would you rather?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye rubbed his head with his hand and said, "I misspoke... I'm sorry."

\n\n

"You'd rather not have me, right?" Fang Shaoyi's voice was cold, and his face was equally cold and indifferent. "You'd rather be apart from me?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye's eyes were a little red. He reached out and grabbed Fang Shaoyi's hand, using his thumb to scratch his hand back and whispered, "I spoke without thinking. Don't be angry."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pulled his hand away and looked at Yuan Ye, also with red eyes, staring at him and asking, "You haven't had enough of our divorce, right?"

\n","published_time":"2024-03-04T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-05T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":516,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":48,"chapter_title":"Chapter 48","content":"

Yuan Ye had indeed said the wrong thing. His sentence was cut off by Fang Shaoyi before he had a chance to finish. Despite being pressed for an answer afterwards, Yuan Ye didn't really need to say anything. Each question was a reminder, a warning.

\n\n

With each question, Yuan Ye became more aware of his mistake and almost said the wrong thing. His apologies, concessions, and pleas for forgiveness were all sincere.

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi, despite his usual mildness and lack of temper, was not someone Yuan Ye could handle when he was serious. Fang Shaoyi's face turned completely cold because of the half-sentence that Yuan Ye didn't finish, and he no longer had the same gentleness as before. He even stopped talking to him.

\n\n

The last words Fang Shaoyi said to Yuan Ye that day were, "Is it always so easy for you to say these things? It's been two years since our divorce, haven't you learned how to cherish things?"

\n\n

Each word felt like a needle piercing Yuan Ye's heart, leaving behind a bleeding hole.

\n\n

But once the words were spoken, they couldn't be taken back. Yuan Ye could only hoarsely say, "...I'm sorry, I was wrong."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say another word to him. He gave him a deep, piercing look that felt like a knife stabbing straight into Yuan Ye's soul. After leaving that look, Fang Shaoyi walked away without even turning his head. He was truly angry.

\n\n

Over the years, Fang Shaoyi has had a limited number of times when he truly gets angry. His personality is such that he rarely gets upset with those around him, and Yuan Ye can hardly ever touch upon anything that would make him angry. But whenever he does get angry, Yuan Ye always suffers.

\n\n

After that, the promotion for "Wind Wanderer" began, and Fang Shaoyi had to go with the director to various events. In this regard, Fang Shaoyi is always very cooperative with any production crew, unless his schedule is too busy. Besides, all the necessary promotions were already agreed upon in the contract. So for a period of time, Fang Shaoyi was not often at home, flying around with the director.

\n\n

Yuan Ye couldn't catch a glimpse of him, but Fang Shaoyi would still answer his phone calls. However, his tone was different from before.

\n\n

Back then, he found Ji Xiaotao annoying and ignored him. But now, Ji Xiaotao finally has a chance to turn things around. Yuan Ye took the initiative to message him: "Tao ah."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao replied promptly: "Yeah?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye asked: "Where are you guys now?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao answered quickly: "We're in Guangzhou."

\n\n

Yuan Ye scratched his head and asked again: "When are you coming back?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao said: "I don't know yet. We're going to Nanjing the day after tomorrow."

\n\n

Yuan Ye rubbed his nose and continued to ask: "Is your brother...still mad at me?"

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao glanced at Fang Shaoyi, who was in the car with him, with his eyes closed and seemingly asleep. Ji Xiaotao replied to Yuan Ye: "I can't tell, Brother Ye. But my brother's mood hasn't been great these past few days. What did you do to him? You shouldn't have..."

\n\n

It was inconvenientenient to talk to him about it, so Yuan Ye sat on his own sofa and sent Fang Shaoyi a message: "Brother Yi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't reply, so Yuan Ye sent another message: "Are you still angry?"

\n\n

The messages were sent, but there was no reply.

\n\n

These days, Fang Shaoyi's replies were few and far between. It was already good if he replied once out of three messages. Even when he did reply, he only said a few words in a cold and distant manner. But Yuan Ye didn't have any temper, it was his fault, so he had to endure it all.

\n\n

Their relationship, which was once good, suddenly became cold. It seemed a bit ridiculous, all because of Yuan Ye's half-sentence.

\n\n

But nothing is truly a coincidence. They were bound to have this confrontation sooner or later, even if it wasn't this time. Despite the peaceful harmony of the past half year, both of them knew that the calm waters ran deep.

\n\n

Otherwise, why had neither of them mentioned marrying again?

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi flew around, and Yuan Ye was unable to catch a glimpse of him. He had his own problems to deal with, and he had already given a draft of the script to Feng Leizi. It might take four or five revisions to perfect it, or they might not even continue working together after the second draft.

\n\n

His teacher had been urging Yuan Ye to come to the school for a talk, and he had invited a few successful people to attend. Yuan Ye had to go.

\n\n

Both of them were busy with their own things, and the previous small quarrel was not resolved properly. So now they had this awkward relationship, as if they had suddenly pulled the distance far back to several months ago.

\n\n

Looking at it this way, their relationship for the past year seemed like a layer of foam, fragile and illusory. As long as one side loosened the tension between them, the peace they had enjoyed would become a phantom.

\n\n

But there was still something different.

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye said the wrong thing, he didn't really want to back down. The emphasis of that sentence was in the first half, and the second half was just to intensify the emotion. Fang Shaoyi was very concerned about that sentence, and later he was angry, giving Yuan Ye a cold face. This was all expected, Yuan Ye knew he said the wrong thing, so Fang Shaoyi had every right to be angry.

\n\n

Last year, when their relationship was awkward, Yuan Ye hadn't taken that step yet, and they were both testing each other. But since Yuan Ye decided to start over, he never thought about giving up. Some things and some people, losing them once is enough, he had said this to Fang Shaoyi as well.

\n\n

So this time, Yuan Ye's attitude was always positive. He would just coax him if he's angry, and solve conflicts when they came up, and if things weren't clear then they would take their time to figure it out. But he wouldn't think about breaking up or giving up.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi would call Director Xin "Uncle" in private, and when they talked, they spoke candidly.

\n\n

Director Xin asked him, "What's up? I heard you haven't been taking any jobs lately?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't deny it and nodded, "Yeah, just sorting myself out."

\n\n

Director Xin gave him a glance. "I heard from Wei Hua that you didn't take his movie. What does that mean? Are you thinking of transitioning to behind the scenes?"

\n\n

"I haven't thought that far ahead," Fang Shaoyi replied. "I'll consider it later."

\n\n

In fact, before the age of forty, Fang Shaoyi had never considered transitioning to behind the scenes. Each stage of life had its corresponding plan, and his love for film was initially expressed through acting. Transitioning to behind the scenes brought about a fundamental change in the way films were transmitted.

\n\n

Although acting and going behind the scenes could coexist without conflict and both carried a lot of responsibility, for Fang Shaoyi, he still wanted his acting to be more pure while he was young. With other pressures weighing on him, he couldn't fully immerse himself in the film.

\n\n

Moreover, when it comes down to it, what's the big difference between behind the scenes and on stage?

\n\n

"There's no hurry...," Director Xin nodded thoughtfully. "I'm planning to shoot a disaster film next year. Do you want to join?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled and shook his head. "Uncle, I haven't thought that far ahead. Don't worry about giving me a role. I can't even predict my own state next year."

\n\n

Director Xin waved his hand and laughed. "Never mind, I just asked casually. Actually, I wanted to invite your father."

\n\n

"Well, you might have to put in some effort to ask him," Fang Shaoyi smiled. "He's busy with his own projects and might not have time next year."

\n\n

Director Xin sighed and exclaimed, "Ah, all the relationship we had when we were young has disappeared. That old man doesn't care about doing any favors!"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't follow along and make fun of his dad, so he stayed quiet for a while before bringing up a suggestion, "Uncle, if there's a suitable role, could you consider my friend, Jian Xu?"

\n\n

Director Xin raised an eyebrow, "Your friend? I've seen his performances, he's been in TV dramas and his acting is a bit superficial, it's all out there."

\n\n

"Well, he's been in the industry for a long time," Fang Shaoyi admitted, "but he has good acting skills, with a little guidance he can find his rhythm."

\n\n

"Okay, I'll take a look later," Director Xin said.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi nodded and didn't say much, the two of them continued to chat about other things.

\n\n

'Wind Wanderer' was released during the National Day holiday. The competition during this holiday season wasn't particularly fierce, with only one American sci-fi blockbuster and the rest being domestic films. The filmmakers didn't expect the movie to have a particularly high box office, given its subject matter and ending.

\n\n

However, with Director Xin and Fang Shaoyi combined, coupled with the promotion of martial arts sentiment, the audience's expectations were still quite high. On the day of the premiere, the box office reached nearly 60 million, which was not bad.

\n\n

On the day of the premiere, Yuan Ye went to see it himself, attending the midnight premiere. The movie was two hours long, and Yuan Ye watched every scene with great interest.

\n\n

This was Director Xin's first time exploring this genre, and while the story was not exceptional, the use of camera angles and colors was truly beautiful. The fight scenes were also a standout, with smooth and elegant action design that left many scenes breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's acting was superb, especially in the latter half of the film where he portrayed a character with one blind eye, relying solely on his emotions to convey his message. The young swordsman was carefree and charming, while the middle-aged swordsman was melancholic and sorrowful.

\n\n

In the final scene, with a sword at his throat, Fang Shaoyi delivered a poignant line, "I am defending half my lifetime's worth."

\n\n

After watching the entire film, one is left feeling even more oppressed, perhaps due to the tragic ending.

\n\n

After leaving the cinema, Yuan Ye drove home with a heavy heart. The movie was somber from beginning to end, and anyone who watched it probably wouldn't feel any lighter. However, Yuan Ye's emotions didn't solely come from the movie; it was probably more because of Fang Shaoyi. He had stared intently at Fang Shaoyi's every glance and movement in the film, not missing a single one.

\n\n

Over the years, there were very few of Fang Shaoyi's movies that he hadn't followed or participated in. This one was the exception. He was unaware of the script or the filming process. Except for when he went to the set a day early to stay overnight for a variety show recording, he had no contact with this film whatsoever.

\n\n

Looking back now, there are still some regrets. So Yuan Ye watched the movie with extra seriousness, as if he wanted to see Fang Shaoyi from that year through the screen.

\n\n

After returning home, Yuan Ye called Fang Shaoyi. At first, he didn't answer, so Yuan Ye took a shower and called again. This time, Fang Shaoyi picked up.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice on the phone still sounded a bit cold. Yuan Ye asked him, "Brother Yi, where are you?"

\n\n

"At home." Fang Shaoyi replied.

\n\n

"You're back?" Yuan Ye was a bit surprised because Ji Xiaotao said they wouldn't be back until the day after tomorrow.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi responded with a simple "Mm" and didn't say anything else.

\n\n

Yuan Ye told him, "I just watched the movie, it was really good."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi still said nothing.

\n\n

"Can I come over and find you?" Yuan Ye tentatively asked.

\n\n

"No," Fang Shaoyi said flatly. "Don't bother."

\n\n

Yuan Ye sighed and said with a smile, "How can I be forgiven... How much longer will you be angry for."

\n\n

"Until it's carved into your memories," Fang Shaoyi's voice remained the same, without any ups and downs, but Yuan Ye could still hear that he was actually emotional. "You say it once, and I'll make you feel it once. I want you to remember it for a long time, so that you won't say anything like that so easily."

\n\n

Yuan Ye thought he was quite calm, but Fang Shaoyi's words still pierced his heart. He said sincerely, "I really know I was wrong."

\n\n

Without saying a word, Fang Shaoyi let Yuan Ye talk on his own. He leaned against the headboard and listened as Yuan Ye spoke slowly, "I just watched the movie and it was really good. I like every character you played. Actually, if I were to judge the movie on its own, it would only be a six out of ten. But because you acted in it, you brought it up to an eight or even a ten out of ten."

\n\n

"The movie can make you, but you can also make the movie," Yuan Ye chuckled with pride evident in his eyes and smile. "You were born for the movies."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi knew what he was going to say and listened quietly before asking, "So?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye let out a soft sigh and spoke in a low voice, "So how could I possibly make you give up on it because of me?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice had softened a bit. He knew exactly what how Yuan Ye felt even if he didn't say it, but hearing it still made him feel a little soft-hearted. Fang Shaoyi said, "I didn't say I was going to give up. Even if one day I really do give up, it's only for myself."

\n\n

The words sounded a bit pointed, but Ye Yuan didn't believe it at all.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice had softened a bit, so Ye Yuan took the opportunity to lower his attitude and speak from the heart, "There are indeed some problems between us, but since I've already made a mistake once, I don't want to make the same mistake twice. I just spoke out of turn, don't take it to heart."

\n\n

"I can chase after you again, get back with you again, and I feel lucky for that. Last year, I didn't know if you still wanted to be with me. Before going on that variety show, I just wanted to be with you again, even if it was just pretending, to show others and satisfy myself."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed when he said this, then added, "It's embarrassing."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was silent for a moment after hearing this.

\n\n

The atmosphere became a bit awkward. To ease the tension, Yuan Ye was about to say something, but Fang Shaoyi finally spoke up.

\n\n

"Last year on set, you told me that sometimes you don't realize the value of something until you lose it," Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Do you remember?"

\n\n

"I remember, of course I remember," Yuan Ye said, "You are my heart."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice was low and slow as he said, "You only know the pain of losing something after it's gone, but I had already felt the pain when you uttered the word 'give up'."

\n\n

Yuan Ye fiercely closed his eyes, pressing his face against his knees. His eyes and nose suddenly felt sour, and his heart ached.

\n","published_time":"2024-03-11T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-12T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-11T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":523,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":49,"chapter_title":"Chapter 49","content":"

When Yuan Ye was 22 years old, he married Fang Shaoyi. At that time, no one supported his decision, not even his parents, friends, or even Guan Zhou who had been following his throughout the whole process.

\n\n

Guan Zhou had started interning at the TV station since his junior year and had since become a popular entertainment host. By the time Yuan Ye got married, Guan Zhou had already gained fame and had seen all the things that happened in the industry. He was very unwilling to see Yuan Ye marry Fang Shaoyi. They were too far apart, and why did two people from different worlds have to come together like a farce?

\n\n

But Yuan Ye didn't listen to anyone and remained steadfast in his decision. He didn't just like Fang Shaoyi, he was crazy about him and saw him as his faith.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi never let Yuan Ye down either. They didn't hide their feelings, and their grand wedding was a much bigger gamble for Fang Shaoyi than for Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye was a writer, while Fang Shaoyi was a celebrity. This wedding meant giving up many possibilities and narrowing his future path, but he never cared about that.

\n\n

The love between these two young men was passionate, brave, and sincere. They sacrificed everything and threw themselves into this emotional journey, without considering the consequences or their future prospects.

\n\n

After ten years of marriage, Fang Shaoyi became a respected movie star, while Yuan Ye was a free spirit who spoke his mind in literary circles. Both of them were well-established in their respective fields, and they became the poster couple for true love in the entertainment industry. But as with everything in life, there was a balance of gains and losses. While their relationship was fulfilling in some aspects, they had to give up something in return.

\n\n

For the past decade, Yuan Ye had hardly had any time for himself. His time was spent following Fang Shaoyi around. Whenever Fang Shaoyi went off to shoot a movie for several months or even half a year, Yuan Ye would often go with him. Their careers had set the tone for their relationship, and it had remained unchanged for many years.

\n\n

After all, Yuan Ye had more freedom in terms of time. His main job was writing, and he could do it anywhere without any time constraints. If he didn't follow Fang Shaoyi, they would be in a long-distance relationship for most of the year. When they were young, they thought they were a perfect match, and that no one else could be as compatible as they were.

\n\n

However, marrying Fang Shaoyi was like stepping into the entertainment industry, which he had never liked. But he had to live with it.

\n\n

In his early years, Yuan Ye would speak his mind freely, with a sharp tongue and a quick wit. He would say what he liked and didn't like, and it was quite satisfying.

\n\n

But later on, he realized that he was not just himself, but also Fang Shaoyi's partner. What he said would affect Fang Shaoyi, so he gradually stopped speaking up.

\n\n

Just because you say you can accept something doesn't mean you actually can.

\n\n

The day of Yuan Ye's 30th birthday was spent on set. Knowing he didn't like a big fuss, Fang Shaoyi didn't tell anyone and they celebrated in private in their room. Ji Xiaotao was there at first, but left after they finished the cake. Fang Shaoyi kissed him and said, "Our little monkey is now in his thirties, turning over a new leaf."

\n\n

Yuan Ye nodded and laughed, "I'm now a middle-aged man."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi asked him to make a wish.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "I hope everyone is doing well," and couldn't think of anything else to say. He already had what he wanted, and making a wish for anything else would be pointless.

\n\n

At thirty years old, Yuan Ye had already changed a lot. Sometimes he felt like he had lost a lot of things about himself. He was still himself, but not quite the same.

\n\n

At the end of that year, Fang Shaoyi joined a film crew. It was a big production with a famous director. He had accepted the role two years ago, but they were only starting to film now. Fang Shaoyi had taken the job because of the director and the script, but after joining the crew, he found out that the original investors had been replaced.

\n\n

At first, everything went smoothly and there were no problems with the production. It wasn't until two months later that they started to notice that something was a little off. The film hasn't even taken shape yet, but the word is out that over 200 million has already been invested. The real spending is still to come, and if they've already spent over 200 million without anything to show for it, they're definitely going to crash and burn.

\n\n

That night, when Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi talked about it in their room, Fang Shaoyi revealed that the production team had been saying that they spent 60 million hiring him.

\n\n

60 million is way too much, it was nowhere near that high.

\n\n

Yuan Ye furrowed his brow and asked, "What are they playing at?"

\n\n

He didn't say much to Yuan Ye, not wanting to expose him to such dirty business. What do investors play at? They're just after profits, no matter how much they fuss around. That movie raised several billion in film funds from outside investors, and after it's released, they have to share the profits. This is just a way to inflate the costs, to make it seem like the costs are high, and in the end, the movie loses money and the profits are swallowed up.

\n\n

Although Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything, Yuan Ye was always sharp and clever, so he could figure it out. He knew all along that the movie had raised funds from outside investors, so he didn't need to think too hard to understand what was going on.

\n\n

This type of fundraising uses the money of ordinary people outside the circle, in other words, the common folks. Some offer guaranteed interest, while others only offer dividends without any guarantees, but with higher returns. Many people think that movies are such a sophisticated thing, and with intermediaries in the middle, they are convinced to invest by looking at the director and the cast, thinking that this is a surefire deal. They invest hundreds of thousands without hesitation.

\n\n

The movie fundraising scams are too many, and traps are everywhere. But there are also legitimate ways to make money, it just depends on whether your eyes are sharp enough to distinguish between the real and the fake.

\n\n

In the film, there were three male leads, and Fang Shaoyi was one of them. If you just watched the movie, it was indeed a good show. However, after knowing what kind of tricks the investors were playing, Yuan Ye couldn't bear to stay on the set any longer. Over the years, Yuan Ye had become numb to many things in the industry, but since he met Fang Shaoyi thirteen years ago, he couldn't possibly be as naive as before.

\n\n

The investors' actions wouldn't necessarily lead to blaming the director and actors, but Yuan Ye couldn't accept Fang Shaoyi making this movie. To put it bluntly, it was a scam. Yuan Ye could turn a blind eye to the shady deals and unspoken rules within the industry, but cheating the public's money outside of the industry was truly heartbreaking and unacceptable, no matter what.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi knew exactly what the investors were up to, but he accepted it anyway. He didn't want to say too much to Yuan Ye, which put him in the same position as the film crew, opposing Yuan Ye.

\n\n

It wasn't fair to say that Fang Shaoyi was wrong, the film crew was fine and so was he. He was upright and all the dirty work was done by the investors. However, Yuan Ye couldn't convince himself. If he could accept this without any expression on his face, then he wouldn't be himself anymore.

\n\n

With anger, Yuan Ye turned and left. Fang Shaoyi could stay with the crew to continue filming, but Yuan Ye couldn't. He left in anger, not just towards the crappy film crew, but also towards Fang Shaoyi. His anger came from disappointment.

\n\n

He left in a huff, and Fang Shaoyi called him to ask what was wrong.

\n\n

What's the point of arguing about differences in values? It just leads to conflict. Even if Fang Shaoyi had his own thoughts, he couldn't do anything about it. The film was already halfway done, and he was powerless. Yuan Ye knew this, and speaking up would only make things worse, so he kept quiet.

\n\n

But keeping quiet didn't solve anything. For several days, they spoke awkwardly on the phone.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had put Yuan Ye on the opposite side, but after thinking it through, Yuan Ye couldn't truly put himself against Fang Shaoyi. He had to speak his mind, after all, they were the closest. If he truly accepted their opposing positions, their relationship would become awkward in the future.

\n\n

So, on the phone, Yuan Ye spoke earnestly to Fang Shaoyi: "Brother Yi, this movie is a scam, you know that."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi admitted, "Mm, I know."

\n\n

"Let's not continue with this film, okay?" Yuan Ye said in a low voice. "I can't accept it. There are a lot of dirty things in this industry that we can't control. I can turn a blind eye, but I can't accept you getting involved."

\n\n

The tone of Yuan Ye's words was very sincere, and he was willing to share everything he was thinking with Fang Shaoyi: "I know you're in a difficult position, and I'm now standing on a moral high ground commanding you. It's not me who's in a difficult position, I know. Actually, I've been thinking about it for several days, and I'm still a bit too naive, but I don't want there to be any bumps between us later on. So, I'll tell you everything I'm thinking, and you can decide for yourself how to proceed. I'll support you no matter what."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said on the other end of the phone, "Go ahead."

\n\n

Yuan Ye said, "I don't care about the capitalists playing tricks and making deals back and forth, but the money outside, tens of thousands or even millions, those billions are tears-stained money. I'm sickened by this whole thing, and I can't do anything to help anyone. I don't have that kind of power, and I can't be foolish enough to put you in a difficult spot again."

\n\n

Yuan Ye lit a cigarette and sighed, "I can accept that we are becoming more and more indifferent in this industry, but I hope we don't touch such tears-stained money. I hope our hearts don't turn black with indifference."

\n\n

After he finished speaking, Fang Shaoyi remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Okay."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's words always carried weight. When he said "okay," he left the group within a week and paid a hefty penalty. The film was halfway through, and all the scenes filmed before were wasted. They had to hire new actors and spend more money. Fang Shaoyi had offended the entire crew, and that wasn't the end of it.

\n\n

On the day that Fang Shaoyi left the group, he posted a Weibo apologizing to the director and the entire crew. He explained that due to personal health reasons, he was unable to continue filming the remaining scenes. He also stated that he would be returning all of his pay as stated in the contract, as well as paying the full amount of the penalty fee.

\n\n

Previously, it was announced that he was paid 60 million yuan, but now it was clear that this was not the case.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had said that he couldn't do much to help, and Fang Shaoyi knew that he couldn't do much either. However, by directly stating the amount of his pay, he had done something, even if it wasn't entirely by the book. He felt that this was the least he could do to live up to Yuan Ye's sense of justice and righteousness.

\n","published_time":"2024-03-18T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-19T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":530,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":50,"chapter_title":"Chapter 50","content":"

In life, there are always things that people admire from the bottom of their hearts. Even if they were to obtain them one day, they would still hold them carefully and cherish them forever. They are like the brilliance of light and the warmth of fire.

\n\n

For Fang Shaoyi, Yuan Ye was the fire that he held in the palm of his hand.

\n\n

He had followed Fang Shaoyi to various film sets for ten years, but he couldn't remember when he stopped insisting on speaking his mind. He no longer spoke out against the deals he disapproved of or the shady business he detested. This had always been a sore spot for Fang Shaoyi, as the constraints of reality had silenced him and made him increasingly taciturn. This silence came with compromise.

\n\n

Originally, Yuan Ye was clear in his love and hate, and he hated evil like an enemy. However, for various reasons, this trait of his became less and less apparent over time.

\n\n

For a long time, Fang Shaoyi thought that the fire in Yuan Ye's heart had been extinguished. The things that were in his bones could only be seen in his books. Therefore, when Yuan Ye spoke up this time, his honesty and the sincere words that he peeled open his heart to say on the phone were extremely precious to Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

During the moment that he spoke, Fang Shaoyi remained silent, with many thoughts and words flashing through his mind. In the end, they all condensed into a simple "okay."

\n\n

The words that Yuan Ye spoke, as well as the ones he didn't, after being in love with each other for so long, how could Fang Shaoyi not understand?

\n\n

What he said was that he didn't like it, for my sake, please stop shooting this film. But the unspoken warnings rang loudly next to his ear, like alarm bells that Fang Shaoyi couldn't ignore.

\n\n

After so many years in the entertainment industry, was the line in his heart still clear? Could he still distinguish between right and wrong? At the very least, which side would he choose between upholding justice and breaking out of his comfort zone?

\n\n

These were not things that could be said easily, not even after years of being in love and knowing each other's personalities and beliefs. Fang Shaoyi appreciated and was grateful for these unspoken concerns. He didn't say much, but he acted on them. He would do whatever it takes to protect that spark in Yuan Ye. But was he only protecting Yuan Ye itself?

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's actions have offended many people - investors, producers, directors, other actors - he didn't miss anyone. This is the price of sticking to one's principles. When you elevate yourself, you detach from the group with dirty interests.

\n\n

But what about the actors who are still in it? How do you handle the work that was invested in the early stages of the production? The damage to the investors' interests cannot be compensated for no matter what.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi dares to do this because of his status and background. He doesn't have to worry about being stabbed in the back with a knife. Even if the investors are anxious, they dare not really turn against him.

\n\n

Occasionally, he silently rebelled against the dark forces and the dirty deals that were accepted in the circle. The price he paid was something Fang Shaoyi could handle. That's why Yuan Ye dared to remind him not to become numb and sink into the darkness. Being helpless at times is just an excuse for comfort, but as a good person, staying vigilant and upright is important. If he couldn't stop evil from happening, at least he shouldn't become a part of it.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi returned home, he first went to the company. He knew he had broken the rules and made a mess, which would cause trouble later. After saying everything he needed to say at the company, Fang Shaoyi hugged Yuan Ye when he saw him and the first thing he said was "thank you."

\n\n

There's no need to be so clear about thanking each other, they have an unspoken understanding.

\n\n

Over the past ten years, Yuan Ye has given up a lot to follow Fang Shaoyi. Their lives revolve around Fang Shaoyi, with him as the center. Yuan Ye is willing to adjust his own life and schedule according to Fang Shaoyi's, following him from one film set to another. It's not easy to do this for one or two years, let alone ten or eight years.

\n\n

Both of them are career-oriented men and have achieved great success in their respective fields. One is willing to be the eternal follower of the other, which is already a form of sacrifice.

\n\n

However, when one realizes that this kind of following is actually a burden and a restraint, it can lead to doubts about whether the ten-year pattern of their relationship is wrong.

\n\n

It had been over three months since Fang Shaoyi left that production crew. The incident even reached Fang Han's ears, and someone asked him to talk to his son. Without hesitation, Fang Han replied, "If you insist on working with him for that kind of drama, then it serves you right. Don't look for him again in the future."

\n\n

The old man didn't say anything to Fang Shaoyi. He didn't criticize him for what he did. After all, the old man had been in the industry for his whole life and had never been defeated. How could he blame Fang Shaoyi for this?

\n\n

Was Fang Shaoyi wrong in this matter? Impossible. He must have been right. However, he was too sharp and not tactful enough. In this industry, one cannot handle things like this. Not following the rules of the industry will only lead to making too many enemies, which is never a good thing.

\n\n

It was only through a casual conversation with Geng Jinwei that Yuan Ye learned about Fang Shaoyi's original plan. The incident had already passed, and the two were just chatting. Geng Jinwei mentioned that Fang Shaoyi had become impulsive in his actions since being with Yuan Ye for a long time. Although Geng Jinwei said this with a smile, Yuan Ye couldn't find it amusing.

\n\n

"There's a scene later where we can create some 'accidents' during a car jump. He'll get injured, not too serious, but enough to stop filming," Geng Jinwei looked at Yuan Ye and said, "We won't have to pay the breach of contract fee, it'll be considered a work injury. But we still have to give them the money, otherwise he'll feel guilty. After all, when someone receives money, they should be grateful and say thank you."

\n\n

As he looked at Geng Jinwei, Yuan Ye remained silent for a long time. He tried to speak several times but couldn't find the right words. His emotions were too complicated to put into words. Finally, Yuan Ye took out a cigarette and lit it, offering one to Geng Jinwei as well. They smoked in silence, exchanging glances.

\n\n

In the end, Yuan Ye let out a laugh, shook his head, and apologized while looking at his cigarette. Yuan Ye never asked Fang Shaoyi why he didn't share his initial plan with him. Since Fang Shaoyi didn't mention it until the end, there was no need for Yuan Ye to ask.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi could have left the production team with a legitimate reason in a month's time without offending anyone or getting involved in the darkness. He had his own considerations and his own way of doing things. However, because of what Yuan Ye said, Fang Shaoyi ended up leaving the team in a way that put him at odds with everyone.

\n\n

Looking back now, what Yuan Ye said was a joke.

\n\n

How could Fang Shaoyi lose his sense of justice? It was something ingrained in him, passed down from his father. Yuan Ye didn't need to say it for him to hold onto it.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi later found out that Geng Jinwei and Yuan Ye had talked about their plans. He rarely showed his temper, especially with his work partner. But this time, he did get angry, slammed the door and left.

\n\n

He never wanted Yuan Ye to know their plans, and they were trying to escape the so-called quagmire in a way that wasn't aboveboard.

\n\n

They talked about it once, and Yuan Ye said he was still naive and hadn't learned to be smooth even though he was over thirty.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said he couldn't learn it even if he was sixty. He didn't need to learn it, it was something he didn't like. He believed that being straightforward was good enough, and being cunning was just being bad.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi never wanted him to change. His sincerity and passion were like the fire that Fang Shaoyi held in his hands.

\n\n

From this point on, Yuan Ye followed Fang Shaoyi less often. He had his own things to deal with, and for so many years, he had been living his life centered around Fang Shaoyi. But looking back, it seemed like he hadn't brought much to Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi always had his own ideas and ways of doing things, and they were always right and more suitable. So Yuan Ye didn't plan on getting too involved. He couldn't help much, so he didn't want to cause any trouble.

\n\n

Naturally, Fang Shaoyi sensed the change in Yuan Ye's mentality. He wanted to talk to him a few times, but some things were just like that. Both of them wanted to develop in a positive direction and were really trying, but they just didn't know where the problem was coming from. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't overcome it.

\n\n

For ten years, Yuan Ye had almost become a subsidiary of Fang Shaoyi, truly turning into the monkey perched on the tree. He had less and less things that belonged to him, and more and more things that he accepted and compromised on. Occasionally, when he insisted on his own beliefs and characteristics, it was still a joke. Although they were always together, they couldn't shorten the distance between them that accumulated after ten years, and everything that should be there still remained.

\n\n

So later, Yuan Ye said to Fang Shaoyi, "Brother Yi, I feel like us being tied together is a burden, in every aspect."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was always gentle and calm, and after listening, he asked, "So what?"

\n\n

"I feel a bit lost," Yuan Ye looked into his eyes and said seriously, "like I can't find myself and can't see clearly who I am. I should search for myself and also search for the path between us."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's ability to speak his mind was one of his charming traits. Fang Shaoyi never had to guess what he was thinking, as he would always speak his thoughts honestly. Whenever he spoke, Fang Shaoyi would listen attentively and try his best to respect his words.

\n\n

Recently, the two of them had been a bit distant. Even though they had cleared up the issue from last time, they still needed to take some time to reflect on their relationship. Both of them needed to do so.

\n\n

Sometimes, even small things can leave a lasting mark. The sand they leave behind can grind away at you, making it harder and harder to bear as time goes on. Only when you tear open the wound and pick out every last grain of sand, can you truly find peace and continue living comfortably.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's voice was heavy as he asked, "Do you want to separate?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye immediately replied, "No, of course not. That's not going to happen."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sat across from him, and Yuan Ye reached out to embrace him, laughing, "What are you talking about? That's impossible."

\n","published_time":"2024-03-25T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-02-26T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-03-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":537,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":51,"chapter_title":"Chapter 51","content":"

Yuan Ye had never thought about the concept of separation. Why would they ever separate?

\n\n

Friends come and go, and divorces are common in the entertainment industry, but Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye have always been a unit. At first, no one believed that they could last, but later, their close friends never doubted their love. They were definitely going to be together for a long time, and no one could ever tear them apart.

\n\n

However, problems did arise between them, and it lasted for a long time.

\n\n

On the surface, everything started with that incident on the set. After that, things went off track and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their relationship back to how it used to be. They both said they had moved on and weren't thinking about that incident anymore, but for some reason, they just couldn't go back to the way things were before.

\n\n

Yuan Ye said he wanted to find himself, but what exactly is "self" and where should he look for it? In the ten years of marriage, he had already adapted to this pattern of planning his time around Fang Shaoyi, considering everything from Fang Shaoyi's perspective first, and he never felt it was wrong. Especially in recent years, Yuan Ye often forgot that he was "Yuan Ye" and instead identified himself as Fang Shaoyi's lover first and himself second.

\n\n

Many thoughts and words came to mind, but he hesitated to speak and eventually chose not to say anything at all. He poured all the thoughts in his mind and heart into his pen, and his writing became sharper and more realistic. However, it was no longer as straightforward as before, no longer like a knife that pointed and struck directly.

\n\n

Instead, there was always a layer of separation. His writing used to be rooted in the earth, and some said it was a romantic fusion of the spirit of the mountains and the wild. But as he grew older, the romanticism in his writing became weaker. Perhaps this was related to age. After all, a person's thoughts change with each stage of life, don't they?

\n\n

But whether this change was right or not, and whether their long-standing way of getting along was healthy or not, these thoughts became more and more frequent and profound as the two individuals separated and were no longer bound together.

\n\n

Feng Leizi would call Yuan Ye every few days. The film industry was in desperate need of screenwriters, and experienced ones were always in short supply. Meanwhile, there was an overabundance of inexperienced writers, leading to a distorted market. Yuan Ye was like a piece of meat, sizzling with oil, and literary planners kept a close eye on him. Feng Leizi relied on his personal relationship with Yuan Ye and always wanted to bring him onto his own projects.

\n\n

"Brother Ye, I need your help," Feng Leizi pleaded on the phone. "My boss asked me to find someone, and when I heard the requirements, I thought of you right away."

\n\n

Yuan Ye laughed and cursed at him before saying, "I can't write your boss's story. He's too demanding."

\n\n

"How can we produce good work without being demanding?" Feng Leizi was getting anxious and whispered, "Bro, we snatched the copyright from three directors for 'Furnace Fire.' The story is here, and it's definitely award-winning."

\n\n

"Why don't you write it yourself?" Yuan Ye sneered and saw through his thoughts. "The better the story, the more likely the screenwriter will be blamed if it doesn't win."

\n\n

"But I can't write!" Feng Leizi started to act like a child. "Brother Ye, Uncle Ye, can you please help me? If I can't find anyone else, I might as well give up."

\n\n

Feng Leizi's boss was Lin Feng, an art film director who has won countless awards abroad but is not very popular domestically. However, his passion lies in storytelling, and he doesn't need to worry too much about the domestic market. If Yuan Ye takes on this project, he will be tied to this story. Lin Feng is known for being meticulous, so he won't be able to leave easily. It could take anywhere from one and a half to three years.

\n\n

At first, Yuan Ye's immediate reaction was to decline the offer. He couldn't handle the demands. Especially since Fang Shaoyi had another film to shoot in England, and Yuan Ye had never let him go abroad on his own before.

\n\n

But eventually, Yuan Ye was persuaded to take on another project from Feng Leizi, a commercial detective film that was not as demanding and had a much more relaxed schedule.

\n\n

During that time, Fang Shaoyi was in Europe alone. Yuan Ye didn't follow him and only stayed with him for the first week before returning home. Due to the time difference and their respective work and rest schedules, they sometimes couldn't talk on the phone for several days. When they did manage to talk, they would share their news and chat for a few minutes, still intimate with each other.

\n\n

When Yuan Ye had free time, he would fly over to visit Fang Shaoyi, stay for a few days, and then return home. It was a bit of a hassle and filled up his time, but he felt it was worth it just to see Fang Shaoyi. However, this still couldn't bring their relationship back to what it was before.

\n\n

It always felt like something was missing.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi sent a proposal for a variety show to Yuan Ye, asking if he wanted to participate. Yuan Ye looked at it for two days. They had never participated in this kind of thing before, and Yuan Ye hated it. Fang Shaoyi didn't like it either. But this time, Fang Shaoyi sent it to him. It was a love travel program, going to several places and having a few love experiences on the show.

\n\n

For some inexplicable reason, both of them signed up.

\n\n

The naturalness and harmony that both sides deliberately showed were ultimately just false prosperity. A small matter was enough to break this tacit calm.

\n\n

Due to issues with other actors, there was a hiatus of about ten days in Fang Shaoyi's play. Yuan Ye had two events to attend, and if there were no unexpected circumstances, he would fly over for a few days. This was planned beforehand. They hadn't seen each other for almost two months before this, so it was impossible not to miss each other.

\n\n

Yuan Ye messaged Fang Shaoyi: "Wait for me, baby. I'm coming to see you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't reply to the message. Yuan Ye put away his phone and changed his clothes before going out to have dinner with some people. They discussed some matters over the meal, and by the time they finished, it was already past nine in the evening. Yuan Ye had just returned from another city and hadn't paid attention to the temperature difference, so he was underdressed.

\n\n

As soon as Yuan Ye opened the door to his home, he sensed that something was off. He saw Fang Shaoyi's shoes and immediately looked up to see a coat draped over the sofa.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's eyes lit up with a smile - his lover had left him a little surprise, which he appreciated.

\n\n

But then he furrowed his brow.

\n\n

He went upstairs and found the bedroom door open with the lights on. Fang Shaoyi was lying there with his eyes closed, his face as white as paper. Yuan Ye walked over quietly, knelt down on the bed, leaned in, and pressed his forehead against Fang Shaoyi's to check his temperature.

\n\n

It was a little high, and Yuan Ye sighed inwardly. Before he could get up, Fang Shaoyi suddenly reached out and grabbed his head, planting a kiss on his lips.

\n\n

Yuan Ye whispered to him, "You're not asleep?"

\n\n

"Mhmm," Fang Shaoyi said with a heavy nasal tone, still holding onto him and maintaining the same posture as before. He pressed his lips against his and whispered, "I've been waiting for you."

\n\n

His breathing was heavy and his voice was hoarse. Yuan Ye closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they were red.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's return this time was also impulsive. He didn't take his medication in advance and flew back from the other side, which almost killed him due to the time difference. Yuan Ye asked him, "Why didn't you wait for me to go over there?"

\n\n

"I couldn't wait," Fang Shaoyi smiled and whispered, "I couldn't wait two more days."

\n\n

This is a love confession, and love confessions are naturally sweet-sounding, but it's not the truth. Yuan Ye knows him so well that the truth is Fang Shaoyi is afraid that Yuan Ye will get tired, afraid that he will have to squeeze time to fly to Europe, and afraid that this relationship can only rely on one person to give and maintain.

\n\n

At that moment, Yuan Ye was lying next to Fang Shaoyi, his arms around him, his face buried in Fang Shaoyi's neck, quietly holding him for a long time. Fang Shaoyi's body was always warm, dry, and comfortable, making people intoxicated and infatuated.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi flew back, suffering from the jet lag for ten days, leaving very little time left.

\n\n

As Yuan Ye watched Fang Shaoyi suffer, he found himself at a loss for words. In the past, he would have lashed out in frustration, scolding Fang Shaoyi for wasting his time and not adjusting to the time difference.

\n\n

But now, Yuan Ye couldn't seem to articulate his emotions, which were jumbled and overwhelming. Even as someone who loved to write, he couldn't find the right words to describe it all.

\n\n

When did they start needing each other like this? It all seemed like a failure, no matter how hard they tried.

\n\n

One morning, after Yuan Ye had finished making breakfast, Fang Shaoyi came downstairs and poured himself a glass of water. Yuan Ye smiled at him, but still couldn't find the words to express what he was feeling.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi couldn't really eat anything, but to Yuan Ye at ease, he still had some porridge. His complexion still wasn't good, and he hadn't recovered yet. Yuan Ye looked at his dry lips with an unnatural color and suddenly spoke up, "Brother Yi, are you tired?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and asked, "Tired of what?"

\n\n

"Tired of being with me," Yuan Ye lowered his head, then after a while, he said, "I feel like you're especially tired right now."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi put down what he was holding and lightly touched his fingers together, asking him, "Are you tired?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't say anything, he just shook his head.

\n\n

"We..." Yuan Ye started, but he didn't know how to continue. What was wrong between them? Actually, nothing much, but why did it feel so uncomfortable? They had already talked about everything they should have talked about, and anything more would just be repeating old words.

\n\n

Two men in their thirties, with no problems in their relationship, had made a mess of it. Looking back, they couldn't even think of a reason why. It was ridiculous.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had no expression on his face, but his gaze was deep. He had been staring at Yuan Ye all this time, and finally asked him, "What do you want to say?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye looked up at him, but didn't continue speaking. He had already said everything he could.

\n\n

"What do you want?" Fang Shaoyi asked again, his voice low and heavy. "Just say it if you want something."

\n\n

Yuan Ye let out a sigh and rubbed his head. He even felt like laughing a little. He innocently said, "I don't want anything. What could I possibly want?"

\n\n

He actually laughed after saying this and reached out to touch Fang Shaoyi's hand. He shook his head and said, "Forget it, I just want you to be well. Don't be unhappy."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi reached back and held his hand, his fingers pinching Yuan Ye's ring.

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled at him.

\n","published_time":"2024-04-01T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-04T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":545,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":52,"chapter_title":"Chapter 52","content":"

They had already deviated from the right track in their relationship, like walking on ice, carefully taking each step, afraid of stepping too deep and falling through.

\n\n

But this kind of state couldn't last forever. Either they would fall through and drown, or they would find a good path and walk steadily on it.

\n\n

Obviously, these two people had not found the right path.

\n\n

In the end, they still separated.

\n\n

Although Yuan Ye had said several times that they would not separate, and each time he said it with such conviction.

\n\n

But in the end, they still drifted apart.

\n\n

This was perhaps a result that could have been predicted long ago. They were two different people at their core, and the love they shared over the years only served to mask the conflicts and friction that should have been there. It was something they would have to face eventually.

\n\n

Their separation didn't even need a reason, it just happened quietly, without any incident or event to trigger it. Sometimes, all it takes is a tiny hole the size of a finger to shatter a whole pane of glass. The cracks had been there for a long time.

\n\n

It's funny to think that their ending came down to just a jacket.

\n\n

It had been a few days since Fang Shaoyi finished filming his latest play. He had flown back from England less than a week ago, but the jet lag had not completely worn off yet.

\n\n

Yuan Ye's schedule was quite tight, this was already normal for them. Whenever Fang Shaoyi had a break, Yuan Ye was always busy. Fang Shaoyi had not taken on any new projects and wanted to take a long vacation with Yuan Ye after they finished their current work.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had to frequently travel between two cities, so he was indeed very busy.

\n\n

One day, Yuan Ye drove back and picked up Fang Shaoyi from his company. They went to Yuan Ye's parents' house for dinner. Yuan Ye spoke with a bit of a nasal tone, sounding like he had a cold.

\n\n

The car was parked a bit far away, so after finishing their meal, they had to walk for a while. Yuan Ye was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and it had just rained, so the weather was a bit chilly. Fang Shaoyi frowned and said to him, "You're dressed too lightly."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't really pay much attention to it. He was used to roughing it and was quite tough. He never paid attention to these things. On the other hand, Fang Shaoyi had a slight fever. He smiled and said, "It's okay, I'm not cold."

\n\n

"You don't know you have a cold?" Fang Shaoyi took off his jacket and handed it to him. "Put it on."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't take it and shook his head. "I'm not cold. You wear it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything more. He just opened his jacket and tried to put it on Yuan Ye. But Yuan Ye dodged to the side and joked, "We're outside. Don't make a scene. We'll end up on Weibo again. You wear it."

\n\n

His exaggerated movement to the side caused Fang Shaoyi to pause for a moment, his hand motion falling short and his arm still stiff.

\n\n

Afterward, Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything, silently putting his coat back on. Yuan Ye, not realising anything was wrong, looked down at the messages on his phone without lifting his head.

\n\n

So when Fang Shaoyi suddenly spoke, Yuan Ye was still a bit confused and couldn't connect his thoughts. Fang Shaoyi asked him, "Why are you so stubborn?"

\n\n

"Huh?" Yuan Ye looked up at him, "What?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't look at him, he just asked again, "Exactly what is bothering you?"

\n\n

As Yuan Ye blinked, it took a few seconds for his brain to catch up. Fang Shaoyi's expression was a bit dark. Yuan Ye had only replied to half of the messages on his phone. He pursed his lips, finished the message, then put his phone away. Reaching out, he touched Fang Shaoyi's hand, grabbing it and asking with a smile, "Are you angry?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, "No, I just don't know what you're thinking."

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't know what had made Fang Shaoyi angry. They had been like this lately, getting frustrated over small things for no reason. Yuan Ye didn't know where Fang Shaoyi's anger came from, let alone how to respond to his words.

\n\n

When they reached the car, Fang Shaoyi pulled his hand away. Yuan Ye's hand felt empty, and he instinctively clenched his fist, unable to hold onto anything.

\n\n

They are like this now, reconciling without reason, constantly cycling cautiously.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi is not someone who cares about these small things. He rarely gets angry with Yuan Ye, including now, he shouldn't be angry. However, their nerves had been tense for a long time, making them too sensitive. The more they care, the more sensitive and sharp they become. No matter how high their status or fame, they are ultimately just ordinary people who cannot avoid these things.

\n\n

Emotions bring people down from their pedestals, and no one is more clear-headed than anyone else.

\n\n

After getting in the car, there was a long silence. Fang Shaoyi's eyes were dark, and Yuan Ye looked at him once before turning his head away.

\n\n

Later, it was Yuan Ye who broke the silence. He asked Fang Shaoyi, "Baby, you have to let me know what you're angry about so I can know how to coax you."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's expression remained unchanged as he stared ahead. After a while, he spoke in a low voice, "You also need to let me know what you're thinking. I really want to know."

\n\n

The weariness in his tone was evident, and Yuan Ye picked up on it immediately. They had more than just this one thing between them. They didn't know when it started, but their interactions had always been deliberate, yet the results were never satisfactory.

\n\n

They were both exhausted, and no one was at ease.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi's tone of helplessness and powerlessness was like a jolt of electricity to Yuan Ye's heart, causing it to ache with a burning sensation.

\n\n

A thought flashed through Yuan Ye's mind, and he blurted out what he was thinking, "Since we're both so tired, then why don't we..."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi turned his head and stared at him with a dead look in his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to say the two words behind Yuan Ye. It hurt too much to say them.

\n\n

He didn't finish his sentence, and Fang Shaoyi turned his head back without even asking.

\n\n

The air in the car became heavy and suffocating as they drove in silence.

\n\n

Finally, they arrived home and parked in the garage. Fang Shaoyi stepped on the brake and spoke up, "Finish what you were going to say."

\n\n

Yuan Ye unbuckled his seatbelt and lowered his head, wanting to reach for a cigarette, but he had quit smoking for a while now.

\n\n

The reality was right in front of them, and they both knew that they couldn't sort out their feelings after such a long time.

\n\n

Some words that are hard to say must eventually be spoken.

\n\n

That night, before going to bed, Yuan Ye whispered in the darkness, "I want our love to always be young and vibrant. Let's not let it become old, weak, and sick."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent, as if he didn't exist at all, even his breathing was so light.

\n\n

Yuan Ye had used all his strength to say those words, all the strength he had accumulated over the past decade.

\n\n

Indeed, he had caught a cold. He didn't feel it before, but that morning his whole body, bones and flesh alike, ached. His throat was so sore that he couldn't speak.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi had never looked at him from beginning to end. He went downstairs early in the morning, went to the company in the morning, and came back with porridge for Yuan Ye at noon.

\n\n

Yuan Ye didn't have much of an appetite, but he still ate everything, not leaving a single grain of rice.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained calm and collected as if nothing had happened. After Yuan Ye finished his porridge, the two of them sat at the table without moving. Suddenly, Fang Shaoyi reached out and touched Yuan Ye's forehead, saying, "Are you running a fever or am I?"

\n\n

Neither of them had a fever and both were quite clear-headed.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi looked into Yuan Ye's eyes and asked him, "Have you made up your mind?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye had used all his strength before he finally uttered the words he said last night. No matter what, he couldn't come up with an answer to Fang Shaoyi's question.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi waited for him for a long time. Eventually, Fang Shaoyi stood up, his voice low but calm, and asked him again, "Have you made up your mind?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye's head was throbbing, and he was in pain all over. He sat there, watching Fang Shaoyi's eyes gradually turn red. Their eyes met, and Yuan Ye blinked, his mouth tightly shut. Fang Shaoyi let out a long sigh.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi threw the ring he was wearing around his neck towards Yuan Ye, Yuan Ye reached out to catch it. They often threw things at each other like this, and Yuan Ye had never failed to catch them before. His hands were quick, but for some reason, whether it was because he was sick or something else, he missed the thin rope this time.

\n\n

The small metal ring fell to the ground with a faint sound.

\n\n

That small sound hit Yuan Ye's heart directly, and his heart shattered like glass, leaving fragments that cut into his skin and flesh.

\n\n

After Fang Shaoyi left, he never came back. Yuan Ye called him several times, but Fang Shaoyi never answered. Later, Yuan Ye called Ji Xiaotao, who could tell that something was wrong between the two of them. He spoke carefully, saying that Fang Shaoyi was fine and that Yuan Ye didn't need to worry.

\n\n

Yuan Ye rarely regretted his words, and he never hesitated in his decisions.

\n\n

But this time, he felt uneasy and soon regretted it.

\n\n

Yuan Ye, at the age of 32, had been with Fang Shaoyi for almost 15 years. He could hardly remember what life was like without Fang Shaoyi. How could they separate?

\n\n

Yuan Ye truly regretted it, even though he knew that there was only one path for them now. But he still regretted it.

\n\n

When Fang Shaoyi returned, he brought the divorce agreement and placed it in front of Yuan Ye, saying, "Sign it."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's voice was hoarse and he could hardly speak. He asked, "Did you see the message I sent you?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi did not answer his question and repeated, "Sign it."

\n\n

As Yuan Ye looked at the papers, they had no children and the divorce was mainly about dividing their assets. He quickly scanned the documents and chuckled to himself, thinking that Fang Shaoyi was quite generous.

\n\n

Shaking his head, Yuan Ye cleared his throat and said, "Brother Yi, let's talk some more."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi handed him a pen and his voice grew colder as he said, "No need to talk, just sign."

\n\n

Yuan Ye's nose began to tingle and he put down the pen to rub it. Then he said softly, "This division of assets doesn't seem right. Let's split it up again."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi pulled up a chair and sat down, nodding his head. "Okay, how do you want to split it?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye put both hands on his head and scratched his hair. With his face buried in his arms, he said, "It's all yours..."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and took a moment before saying, "If there's anything else you want, just say it. If not, sign the papers."

\n\n

Yuan Ye remained motionless in his position, clearing his throat several times before finally speaking. His voice was unsteady and his hoarse throat made it difficult to hear him clearly. He rarely allowed himself to appear so vulnerable, but he said, "...I don't want to sign. I don't want to divorce."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained silent as he watched him. Yuan Ye lowered his arms and slumped down, burying his face in the table. He rubbed his forehead against his wrist a few times and his voice broke as he said, "Can I take back what I said? Can I make it up to you... Can I? How can I sign... Can you chop off my hand and sign with it?"

\n\n

Outside, the rain continued to fall, the pitter-patter of droplets against the window adding a chilly atmosphere to the room. Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye's head, which was resting on the ground, his eyes as dark as ink, bottomless. His eyes were also red, with broken red spots scattered throughout.

\n\n

"Say something," Yuan Ye continued to speak while lying on the ground. "Can I coax you?... Let's tear this up."

\n\n

Yuan Ye rarely spoke in such a submissive tone and posture, truly surrendering. He still didn't lift his head, keeping his words bottled up inside, his voice nasal and heavy.

\n\n

He had never asked Fang Shaoyi for anything like this before, except for occasionally begging him during lovemaking. He didn't need to say what he wanted, it wasn't necessary. And there was nothing he wanted more in this lifetime than Fang Shaoyi.

\n\n

Yuan Ye pushed the papers back towards Fang Shaoyi and sat up straight, looking at him. "Shall we start over, brother?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye knew how to be stubborn, and Fang Shaoyi was willing to indulge him. But this time, Yuan Ye refused to sign the papers, and Fang Shaoyi wasn't having it. He grabbed the papers, crumpling them in his hand. Fang Shaoyi stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound. He threw the papers back at Yuan Ye with a loud "thud".

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi walked over and stood behind Yuan Ye, shoving a pen in his hand. He then grabbed Yuan Ye's hand tightly and squeezed it with force.

\n\n

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Fang Shaoyi's voice was filled with icy anger. Their hands were clasped together, each one struggling against the other, causing the pen to tremble in their grip. This position was like Fang Shaoyi holding Yuan Ye in his arms, with his mouth close to Yuan Ye's ear, creating an intimate posture.

\n\n

"You've been wanting to say this for a long time, so don't take it back now." Fang Shaoyi's breath sprayed into Yuan Ye's ear as he spoke, causing Yuan Ye's body to go numb. Fang Shaoyi continued, "It's been fifteen years, what do you want that I haven't given you?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi clenched his hand tightly and slammed it onto the paper, causing both of them to feel the pain. The tip of the pen left a small black dot on the paper. "You said you wanted it, so why hesitate?" Fang Shaoyi said.

\n\n

There was no way Yuan Ye could match Fang Shaoyi's strength. Fang Shaoyi had been practicing martial arts for years and had acted in many fight scenes. Yuan Ye's bones were almost crushed by Fang Shaoyi's grip as he made him sign "Yuan Ye" on the paper.

\n\n

Yuan Ye was always a man of his word, and was Fang Shaoyi any different? When Fang Shaoyi made a decision, he rarely changed his mind or showed strong emotions. But when he was determined to do something, Yuan Ye knew he couldn't stop him.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi wanted a divorce, so the marriage was definitely going to end.

\n\n

Yuan Ye shook his hand that was previously held by Fang Shaoyi, opening and closing his fingers before placing it on his chest, feeling numbness.

\n\n

It felt empty.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi was twenty years old while Yuan Ye was seventeen when they were both passionate youths, exploring and colliding until they naturally fell in love.

\n\n

They loved each other for five years, two crazy young people who didn't care about anything, announcing their love to the world. What was there to fear? They didn't need marriage to prove their love.

\n\n

Ten years later, with a single agreement and a stamp, they exchanged a divorce certificate.

\n","published_time":"2024-04-08T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-11T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-08T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":552,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":53,"chapter_title":"Chapter 53","content":"

When Yuan Ye moved out of their house, he only took some clothes and everyday items. There were too many things, and most of them were not needed at the moment, so he didn't take everything. However, he did take Fang Shaoyi's coat when he left.

\n\n

It was the same coat that Fang Shaoyi had offered him that night, but Yuan Ye had refused.

\n\n

He didn't know what he was thinking when he took it.

\n\n

Many times afterwards, when Yuan Ye was unclear in his mind, he would think about whether the outcome would have been different if he had accepted the coat. But who knew better than Yuan Ye that their divorce was not because of a piece of clothing? Let's not be ridiculous.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi said, 'You say it once and I'll make you feel it once,' and Yuan Ye was really in pain. His mind started to replay the chaotic events before they separated, as well as the final divorce agreement. Fang Shaoyi used an intimate and flirtatious posture to quickly sign Yuan Ye's name with just two strokes of his hand, cruel and decisive.

\n\n

But Yuan Ye had said the wrong thing, and no matter how cold Fang Shaoyi was to him, he deserved it. Some things shouldn't be said and once said, no matter how coldly treated, it's deserved.

\n\n

Yuan Ye softened and said to Fang Shaoyi, 'I'll remember my lesson, don't be angry.'

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything else, just made a sound of agreement.

\n\n

Their relationship was still lukewarm after that, slightly better than before but not by much. Occasionally, Fang Shaoyi would ignore Yuan Ye, who would then just focus on his own work and try to make his presence known by checking in every now and then.

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao, who had been through this ordeal before, was no longer concerned about their relationship. He had hoped for them to reconcile quickly before, but now that they had, he saw any minor disagreements between them as just part of their dynamic. He didn't need to worry anymore, and he was glad that their relationship seemed stable now.

\n\n

It was amusing to see one of them throw a tantrum while the other tried to appease them with a smile. It was almost like watching a comedy show.

\n\n

"Hey, Tao-laoshi!" Yuan Ye went to the company to find Fang Shaoyi and happened to see Ji Xiaotao in the lobby. He greeted him warmly.

\n\n

"Hahaha, what Tao-laoshi?" Ji Xiaotao walked over to Yuan Ye and greeted him, "Good afternoon, Ye-laoshi!"

\n\n

"Am I that wild?" Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow, "Just call me Yuan-laoshi."

\n\n

Ji Xiaotao was a small assistant when next to Fang Shaoyi, but he definitely had a certain status when he returned to the company. However, because he was still Fang Shaoyi's assistant, he didn't have any other job titles in the company. Despite this, other people in the company would politely call him "Brother Xiaotao".

\n\n

Once, a small actor called him "Tao-laoshi", which Yuan Ye overheard. Since then, Yuan Ye has always teased him with this nickname. Ji Xiaotao looked at the thing in his hand and asked with a smirk, "Are you delivering food to my brother?"

\n\n

"Ah," Yuan Ye said as they walked together, "Is he upstairs?"

\n\n

"He should be in the office. If he's not there, you can go to Brother Geng's place and check." Ji Xiaotao went up with him, but didn't follow him all the way. It was mealtime and he had to put his things down and go downstairs to eat.

\n\n

Yuan Ye knocked on Fang Shaoyi's office door and Fang Shaoyi responded before he entered. He pushed the door open and peeked his head in. Fang Shaoyi looked up and met his gaze. He squinted and smiled, "Can I come in, Fang-laoshi?"

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi saw him and waved his hand, "Come in quickly. If someone pushes you on the shoulder from behind, you'll be strangled."

\n\n

"That won't happen," Yuan Ye pushed open the door and closed it behind him, placing the item in his hand on the coffee table. He beckoned to Fang Shaoyi with a smile, "Come here, baby, it's a lunch made with love."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi walked over and asked, "Where did this lunch made with love come from?"

\n\n

"Where else would it come from? Of course, I made it," Yuan Ye pushed him playfully, "I put a lot of effort into it."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him, shook his head and smiled. He began to unwrap the layers of packaging. Yuan Ye had been free these past few days, and had spent the morning steaming small dumplings and stewing soup. He did everything to coax him, making up for any mistakes he made with his actions.

\n\n

As Fang Shaoyi opened one of the insulated boxes, he found two heart-shaped fried eggs neatly placed inside. He was surprised to see such a thing and couldn't help but smile. "What is this?" he asked.

\n\n

"It's a heart," Yuan Ye replied, not at all embarrassed by his silly gesture. He leaned back on the sofa and said, "That's why it's called a 'lunch made with love'."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi smiled briefly and then ate his food seriously. He finished the soup and even the last piece of dumpling. Yuan Ye pointed to the two innocent heart-shaped eggs and sighed, "Don't reject my heart, Fang-laoshi."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi remained indifferent and didn't eat the eggs even until the end.

\n\n

As Yuan Ye observed his expression, he left behind the box containing the fried egg while collecting the others, saying, "Once my heart has been given out, I can't take it back anyway. You can keep this one."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi didn't respond, instead leaning back on the sofa to digest his food.

\n\n

The two of them sat in silence, one resting with closed eyes while the other idly scrolled through their phone. When Geng Jinwei arrived, he didn't knock but simply pushed the door open. Seeing the two in this state, he exclaimed, "Oh!" before walking in and asking, "Have you eaten?"

\n\n

"We finished," Yuan Ye nodded in greeting, "Have you eaten, Brother Geng?"

\n\n

"Not yet," Geng Jinwei replied, "Is there any left for me?"

\n\n

Yuan Ye smiled and said, "That's impossible, there's not a drop of soup left." After speaking, Yuan Ye glanced at Fang Shaoyi and continued, "Anyway, if you don't mind, there are two fried..."

\n\n

"There's no more," Fang Shaoyi interrupted as he opened his eyes and asked Geng Jinwei, "Is there something going on?"

\n\n

Geng Jinwei shook his head and laughed, "I came to invite you to go out and eat something. If you're done, forget it. I'll go downstairs to the restaurant to grab something."

\n\n

Yuan Ye bent down to pick up the leftover box of fried eggs on the coffee table and said to Geng Jinwei, "Here, Brother Geng, take this and eat it together downstairs..."

\n\n

But Fang Shaoyi interrupted him again, holding his hand and saying coldly, "Brother Geng doesn't eat eggs."

\n\n

"Ah, forget it then," Yuan Ye laughed and turned his hand over to grab a handful of Fang Shaoyi's hand. He scraped it lightly and then withdrew his hand, sitting up straight and saying slowly, "If Brother Geng doesn't eat eggs, then let's forget it."

\n\n

Geng Jinwei watched the two of them, his professionalism impeccable, and his expression unchanged. However, he didn't want to continue watching them here, so he turned around and left, saying, "You two stay here."

\n\n

After he left, Yuan Ye sat there laughing for a long time, staring at Fang Shaoyi with his shoulders shaking.

\n\n

These days, Yuan Ye often runs to the company, which in the eyes of the staff means he's chasing hard after someone. And with Fang Shaoyi always by his side, it only fuels the rumors about them.

\n\n

Some people even leaked online that Yuan Ye has been pursuing Fang Shaoyi for a year now, but he still hasn't given a clear answer. It seems like Yuan Ye doesn't stand a chance. After all, if Fang Shaoyi had any intention of reconciling, he would have done so long ago, especially after all those years they spent together.

\n\n

Half of the fans feel sorry for Yuan Ye, thinking that he's going to be heartbroken. The other half are excited and eating up the drama, thinking that after a year of chasing, Fang Shaoyi still hasn't completely rejected him. This means there's still a chance, right? It's like they're playing a game of love, and last year's birthday photo from the set was just a tease. These two are just having fun with their relationship!

\n\n

The two were having a great time playing, and Fang Shaoyi was not letting up or showing any signs of weakness. Yuan Ye was patient and slowly coaxed him along. However, there were things that needed to be said and matters that needed to be discussed.

\n\n

In mid-October, Director Wei invited Fang Shaoyi to his home for dinner, and Yuan Ye went along as well. Director Wei had always been fond of Yuan Ye.

\n\n

The first film that Yuan Ye had ever seen was Director Wei's. Director Wei had his own unique ideas when it came to filmmaking. Each film was like digging deep within himself, breaking it apart, and then slowly piecing it back together. He once said, "Making a movie is like having a love affair with the story. It must be profound and romantic, otherwise it won't be a good film."

\n\n

He was the first director of Fang Shaoyi, and his guidance was very important. Therefore, Fang Shaoyi was greatly influenced by his ideas and methods.

\n\n

Director Wei devoted his whole life to making movies and was a rare pure filmmaker. Yuan Ye respected him and liked his work since he was young. Later, whenever Fang Shaoyi acted in one of his films, Yuan Ye and the director had many interactions and became familiar with each other.

\n\n

During the meal, Director Wei started a conversation and asked how Fang Shaoyi was doing. Yuan Ye chimed in and said, "Director, he's having a midlife crisis. You should talk to him."

\n\n

"What kind of midlife crisis?" Wei Hua looked at him and then at Fang Shaoyi, half-smiling. "What thoughts are you having? Tell me."

\n\n

"Listen to him blabber," Fang Shaoyi said to him. "I'm at an age where I need to have a period of reflection."

\n\n

Director Wei pointed at him with a smile and said, "You're lying."

\n\n

"No, I'm telling the truth," Fang Shaoyi refilled his glass. "I don't lie to you."

\n\n

Wei Hua glanced at him and shook his head with a smile.

\n\n

That day, Director Wei and Fang Shaoyi talked a lot. They talked over dinner and continued over tea afterwards. Yuan Ye didn't say much and didn't interrupt. Director Wei wasn't trying to convince Fang Shaoyi to take on a role, as he had already found a replacement actor and was training them. Filming requires mutual agreement, and no one should be forced to do it out of obligation.

\n\n

They talked more about movies, as both of them had a deep understanding of the industry and could discuss many things. Director Wei asked Fang Shaoyi about his understanding of the male characters in the new movie. Fang Shaoyi had only seen an early draft when it was still in its infancy. This movie was all about the characters, with a lot of inner turmoil that needed to be carefully crafted.

\n\n

They talked about this for the whole night, with Fang Shaoyi sharing his thoughts on the characters and even some of the other characters. Every director loves to talk about the script and the characters. Later, Director Wei sighed and said, "Honestly, I'm not sure. We might have to cut half of the inner turmoil."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi suggested, "Why don't you just film it and see? Maybe there will be some surprises."

\n\n

But surprises are hard to come by. Director Wei laughed and admitted, "I'm getting lazy now. I'm used to working with people I know, and I don't want to bother with new people."

\n\n

After years of directing, Director Wei had a familiar group of people around him, not just Fang Shaoyi, but also various other characters. Their understanding was rare, they could communicate with just a glance, saving a lot of time.

\n\n

While they chatted, Yuan Ye sat quietly on the side, listening and watching. Fang Shaoyi's knowledge and passion for his field was always charming.

\n\n

Eventually, they didn't finish their conversation and Yuan Ye fell asleep on the nearby couch, sleeping soundly.

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi took off his shirt and was about to cover Yuan Ye when Director Wei said, "Let someone bring a blanket."

\n\n

"No need," Fang Shaoyi shook his head and whispered, "This is enough."

\n\n

Yuan Ye held a small ornament from Director Wei's home in his hand. Fang Shaoyi took it from him and set it aside.

\n\n

Director Wei looked at him and suddenly laughed, saying, "You're lovesick."

\n\n

Fang Shaoyi chuckled at this and looked in Yuan Ye's direction, saying, "He's the real lovesick one."

\n","published_time":"2024-04-15T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-18T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-15T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":559,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":54,"chapter_title":"Chapter 54","content":"

The \"Wind Wanderer\" has been released for a month, with a total box office of over 700 million. The results are not bad, better than expected. There is not much competition in the recent movie market, no foreign hero movies, and no comedy that can attract a lot of money.

The investment in the film is not too exaggerated in terms of salaries, and there are many newcomers. The money is generally spent on scenery and props. Overall, they are making money and not losing money for the investors. For the crew, this is considered a success.

\"The Wind Wanderer\" has received many good reviews and there is not much to criticize. Some film critics say that the director's style is too restrained and lacks expression. This is a matter of personal opinion and there is no need to argue about it. If you think it's good, then it's good. If you thinks it's not good, then that's your opinion.

The movie was shot with ease, as there were hardly any issues on set besides filming. However, the conditions were truly harsh and challenging for the crew.

After the movie was released, Director Xin arranged a celebratory banquet for the main cast and crew, as well as a few important actors. Since they were all from different cities, it was possible that Fang Shaoyi might not attend, but his relationship with Director Xin made it a must for him to be there.

Coincidentally, Yuan Ye's new book was also being released, with book signings in several major cities across the country, and the two happened to be going to the same place.

Yuan Ye proactively booked their tickets, it was time for him to demonstrate his enthusiasm. When Ji Xiaotao asked if he should come along, Yuan Ye declined, saying, \"No need, you have your own things to do, Tao-laoshi.\"

\"You come along,\" said Fang Shaoyi to Ji Xiaotao before he could even speak.

Yuan Ye looked at Fang Shaoyi, thinking he was being deliberately difficult and showing off his arrogance again. But whether Ji Xiaotao followed or not, Yuan Ye didn't really care. In the end, the three of them went together, and Ji Xiaotao had to buy his own ticket.

Actually, Fang Shaoyi asked Ji Xiaotao to follow mainly because he wanted him to stick with Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye always went out alone, and although the publishing company would arrange for someone to accompany him for book signings and events, Fang Shaoyi was still a bit worried.

Yuan Ye didn't really enjoy book signings and other similar events, but he had signed up for them when he signed the contract for this book. They had been working with the same publishing company for years and had a good partnership, so this time he agreed to do a few events as a personal favor.

As both an assistant and a bodyguard, Ji Xiaotao had his mother worried sick. After the event, Yuan Ye and his work partner went out to eat. Fang Shaoyi called Ji Xiaotao and asked, \"Is it over?\"

Ji Xiaotao whispered, \"It's done, they're eating now.\"

Fang Shaoyi asked, \"Are you with them?\"

Ji Xiaotao nodded and said, \"Yes.\"

\"Then make sure he doesn't drink too much. If he does, call me,\" Fang Shaoyi said.

\"Okay, got it!\" Ji Xiaotao promised. After hanging up, he thought to himself, 'Why can't he just call him directly? What's the point of making me relay the message?'

Fang Shaoyi and Director Xin couldn't possibly attend a celebration banquet without drinking. After all, who doesn't drink at such occasions? As the director and Fang Shaoyi had a close uncle-nephew relationship, there was no need to worry about drinking too much. How could Fang Shaoyi not drink excessively? He had thought of a good excuse beforehand, planning to say that he couldn't handle alcohol and push it away. But in the end, he couldn't refuse.

As a result, Yuan Ye didn't drink a single sip, while Fang Shaoyi got drunk instead. After the celebration, Ji Xiaotao called and asked if Fang Shaoyi needed a ride, but he declined, telling them to rest instead.

His voice sounded a bit hoarse, and after hanging up, Ji Xiaotao turned to Yuan Ye and said, \"We're in trouble. He's had too much.\"

Yuan Ye thought for a moment and said, \"You go rest, I'll go over.\"

Ji Xiaotao was very self-aware and went back, while Yuan Ye headed to the hotel by taxi. When he arrived, the atmosphere in the private room was good, and Yuan Ye didn't enter and only waited at the door. If he went in, he would also have to drink, and if they both got drunk then how would they go back? It was better if he hid here.

When they ended their meal, Yuan Ye seemed to have just arrived. The director saw him and Yuan Ye quickly greeted him with a smile, asking, \"Are you guys done already? Did I come late?\"

The director smiled and asked, \"Little Yuan is here? Then why don't we do another round?\"

\"No need,\" Yuan Ye shook his head, \"I came to pick him up.\"

The director turned around and looked at Fang Shaoyi, patted Yuan Ye's shoulder, and talked to him for a few words before leaving. The crew walked ahead, and Yuan Ye approached Fang Shaoyi and asked him in a low voice, \"How much did you drink?\"

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were not as clear as before, he had definitely been drinking, but his walking and demeanor didn't show any difference. He didn't answer, just shook his head.

Yuan Ye secretly held his hand and walked beside Fang Shaoyi, supporting him. All the leaders had someone to pick them up, and if not, the hotel would send them. Yuan Ye didn't need to worry about that. Public figures didn't have the habit of talking outside, everything that needed to be said was said at the dinner table. Once they left, a simple goodbye was enough, no need for anything else.

They didn't let the hotel car take them, Yuan Ye hailed a taxi and gave the driver their address. The driver was a middle-aged man who didn't know them, and the ride was quiet.

Fang Shaoyi let out a sigh of relief and slumped back in his seat, breathing heavily and reeking of alcohol. He looked like a drunkard. The driver glanced back a few times and cautiously said to Yuan Ye, \"Don't let him vomit in the car...\"

\"Don't worry, I won't,\" Yuan Ye replied.

It had been a long time since Fang Shaoyi had drunk so much, and even longer since Yuan Ye had seen him like this. When he got drunk, Fang Shaoyi was usually quiet and didn't cause any trouble. He might just go straight to sleep when he got home. With his eyes closed, he reached out his hand and Yuan Ye naturally placed his own hand in Fang Shaoyi's grasp.

Fang Shaoyi held onto his hand and slept the whole way. Yuan Ye looked at their hands a few times and Fang Shaoyi's peaceful sleeping face, thinking to himself how well-behaved he was.

After returning to the room, Fang Shaoyi was feeling a bit more sober. He took off his clothes and even took a shower. He didn't make a fuss and just did whatever Yuan Ye asked him to do. After Yuan Ye finished all his tasks, he took a shower and when he emerged, Fang Shaoyi was lying quietly in bed, sleeping soundly.

Yuan Ye placed a bottle of water by his bedside, afraid that Fang Shaoyi would wake up thirsty. Suddenly, Fang Shaoyi spoke up, mumbling and asking him, \"Are you still not sleeping?\"

\"Coming,\" Yuan Ye glanced at him and replied, \"I'm coming.\"

Actually, Fang Shaoyi wasn't really asleep yet. After returning to the room, he wasn't as tired as before. Yuan Ye was just dragging his feet and not coming to bed, so Fang Shaoyi had to urge him to sleep.

Under the influence of alcohol, his usual cool demeanor disappeared, and he couldn't maintain his intentional attitude. He was surrounded by someone he didn't need to be wary of, and he let down all his guard.

Yuan Ye patted his back like a child and whispered, \"Sleep tight, my baby.\"

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brow and suddenly blurted out, \"Why is your heart so cruel?\"

Yuan Ye was first stunned, then laughed and asked him in a low voice, \"Where did that come from?\"

Fang Shaoyi still frowned and told him to \"shut up.\"

Yuan Ye blinked silently, then reached out and lightly tapped Fang Shaoyi's forehead, laughing softly and saying, \"You're the one who's truly cruel.\"

Fang Shaoyi dodged his hand and said, \"You deserve it.\"

\"Yes, I deserve it,\" Yuan Ye patted him again. \"I deserve it, don't frown.\"

Fang Shaoyi quieted down and stopped talking, but Yuan Ye took the initiative to speak again. He touched Fang Shaoyi's chin and asked, \"Why don't you want to act anymore?\"

Fang Shaoyi didn't answer, so Yuan Ye said again, \"Don't you believe that I can take care of myself?\"

\"I believe you,\" Fang Shaoyi moved forward a bit and buried his face in Yuan Ye's neck. He kissed his collarbone and said in a muffled voice, \"I believe you...that's why I'm not willing to let you.\"

Yuan Ye's heart felt a little sour. He grabbed Fang Shaoyi's hair, turned off the light, and gently massaged his scalp. It felt very comfortable, and Fang Shaoyi soon fell asleep.

After his book signing event for this location, there were still several other places to go. Ji Xiaotao followed Yuan Ye back and forth, which he had done before as a celebrity assistant and occasional writer's assistant. By the time Yuan Ye finished his busy schedule, it was already December, and Christmas was just a few days away.

Yuan Ye had to find time to work on the script with Feng Leizi and the others in between his travelling. He had already submitted three drafts, and he dreaded the thought of them saying, \"Why don't you come over and we can talk face to face?\"

Whenever they talked face to face, it never ended well. They would talk all night long, and the last time they talked for ten hours straight. Yuan Ye was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open, but the director's eyes were still bright and he even asked him to have a couple more cups of coffee.

The movie is called \"Whisper\", a period drama set in the old times. The male lead is a mute, and his younger brother is also partially mute. The younger brother has a significant role and plays a character who is pure and full of vitality. When discussing the younger brother, Feng Leizi casually mentioned a few actors, but the director did not respond.

Then, Yuan Ye had an idea and said, \"I actually have a recommendation that fits perfectly.\"

In fact, Yuan Ye had more than one recommendation. He recommended two people, one of whom is Yang Siran, who had previously acted alongside Fang Shaoyi. Yuan Ye had seen him act before and thought he was very talented. The other recommendation was Cheng Xun, who had a fitting image, but Yuan Ye wasn't sure about his acting skills since he hadn't seen him act much.

However, Yuan Ye was a fan of Cheng Xun and Chi Xing, the two young actors, so recommending him was somewhat of a personal preference. He might recommend them, but it was no guarantee. He had to send their materials to the director for review, for the director to take a look. When Yuan Ye mentioned it, he didn't take it too seriously. After all, this role was important and required careful consideration.

However, Yuan Ye still told Cheng Xun to organize the materials and send them to the director when he had time. Chi Xing was standing next to him and said that Yuan Ye was too biased.

Yuan Ye laughed on the phone and said, \"You look too cheerful, you don't have that melancholic temperament.\"

Yuan Ye hadn't seen Yang Siran in a long time, but because of this matter Yuan Ye asked about him. When Yuan Ye asked, Ji Xiaotao looked helpless and said, \"I think he's done for.\"

\"What happened?\" Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows. \"Isn't the company trying to promote him?\"

\"I don't know what was going through his head. At the time, we couldn't tell he was so stubborn on set,\" said Ji Xiaotao. \"He can't get along with his agent, but his attitude and temper is good. He just won't do what he was asked to do.\"

\"Why is there such a problem?\" Yang Siran was a good kid on set, and pretty well-behaved. Although he had a scandal with Fang Shaoyi, he wasn't the type of young person who was particularly scheming. At the time, he quietly helped Fang Shaoyi vent his frustrations, and Yuan Ye actually wanted him to develop well.

Ji Xiaotao sighed and said, \"Brother Geng never spoils anyone. Except for my brother, there's no actor in the company who is so uncooperative. It's been a few months now, and I think Brother Geng is going to give up.\"

Yuan Ye said, \"I have a character in the script I'm working on that would be perfect. Let the company submit his materials and see if they're interested. If we don't give it a shot, we'll never know.\"

\"That's a long shot,\" Ji Xiaotao replied. \"Brother Geng hasn't mentioned him at all in the company. He doesn't bring him up in meetings either. I think he's done with him.\"

","published_time":"2024-04-22T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-03-25T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-22T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":566,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":55,"chapter_title":"Chapter 55","content":"

Brother Geng's done with him? For the person who signed him to just stop supporting him like that, Yuan Ye thought that Brother Geng really had the power to cover the sky with one hand.

But they had been in the same crew for a few months, and even spent the New Year together, and had some relationship. He couldn't just let him waste a few years away like that. Even though he didn't know what Yang Siran was thinking, he shouldn't be so ruthless.

So, when Yuan Ye saw Geng Jinwei again, he specifically mentioned Yang Siran's situation and asked if he wanted to send some materials. Lin Feng's film had high standards, and if he could really be selected, it would be a great opportunity.

Geng Jinwei didn't say whether he would send it or not, he just said, \"Okay, I got it.\"

Yuan Ye also added, \"I've seen Yang Siran act, and his acting skills are pretty good.\"

Geng Jinwei looked at him with a half-smile on his face and asked Yuan Ye, \"He and Shaoyi had a scandal, don't you mind?\"

Yuan Ye chuckled and sat up straight from his slouching position at the desk. He patted his pants and said, \"How old am I? Besides, when have I ever cared about that kind of thing?\"

Geng Jinwei laughed and Yuan Ye continued, \"Back when we were filming, Little Yang and I had a decent relationship. He was a well-behaved kid and I didn't dislike him. Let me talk to him and give him a lesson if he's being foolish. But I'm just saying this once, you listen if you want, it doesn't mean I'll get involved in company matters.\"

Geng Jinwei lit a cigarette and tossed the box to Yuan Ye. He called out to him, \"Brother Ye, don't put it like this, if you and Shaoyi are willing to get involved, I'd be grateful.\"

Yuan Ye shook his head and smiled, \"We're not willing, you've worked hard, Brother Geng.\"

Since they were discussing Yang Siran's matter, Geng Jinwei finally said, \"I'll send his information over later. Whether it works out or not, just give him a push.\"

\"No problem,\" Yuan Ye nodded with a smile, \"After all, he's our own actor.\"

With so many actors in the industry, not everyone can lend a helping hand. But Yang Siran happened to have worked with Yuan Ye before, and they had a decent relationship. It was fate that brought them together, so Yuan Ye spoke up for him. As for company matters, Yuan Ye didn't get involved. If Fang Shaoyi had any questions, he could ask, but Yuan Ye didn't want to say too much.

But he didn't dwell on it. Two days later, Yang Siran sent Yuan Ye a message on WeChat: \"Thank you, Brother Yuan Ye, for speaking up for me. I've troubledyou.\"

Yuan Ye had added Yang Siran on WeChat during their time on set, but they hadn't talked since. He couldn't even remember adding him. Yuan Ye replied with a simple message: \"Keep working hard and control your temper.\"

Yang Siran replied: \"Okay, I'll take note. Thank you again, Brother Yuan Ye.\"

After putting away his phone, Yuan Ye turned his attention to the small pot on the stove. As soon as it started boiling, he turned down the heat and covered it. Leaning against the counter, he thought about the boring scandal between Yang Siran and Fang Shaoyi.

Yuan Ye chuckled to himself. Had he really not cared at all? That was a lie. He didn't bother with the news, but during the filming of the drama, when Yang Siran and Fang Shaoyi were acting together with bare legs, Yuan Ye felt a twinge of heartache. It had nothing to do with jealousy or suspicion, but rather the taste of youth.

Those two long, slender, and white legs were truly tender. When Yuan Ye was young, he didn't have such pretty legs. He was too active, so his legs weren't very fair and had more muscles. But when he stood in front of Fang Shaoyi, his legs shone brightly.

Although they weren't as beautiful, they were definitely attractive. Suddenly, Yuan Ye shook his head and smiled. It was a good morning, but why did he suddenly feel so naughty?

Fang Shaoyi walked in and asked him, \"What are you laughing at?\"

Yuan Ye honestly replied, \"I was chatting with a little boy.\"

Fang Shaoyi had no expression and asked, \"Chatting again?\"

\"Well, you never chat with me anyway,\" Yuan Ye said.

Fang Shaoyi asked, \"What are you chatting about that makes you so happy?\"

Yuan Ye said, \"Legs.\"

\"Legs?\" Fang Shaoyi raised his eyebrows and looked at Yuan Ye's smug face. He walked over and hugged him with one hand, whispering in his ear, \"Do you need more love?\"

The one thing that scared Yuan Ye the most was when Fang Shaoyi spoke next to his ear. He would instinctively tilt his neck to the side and soften his tone, \"I didn't chat, how would I dare?\" he asked.

As he finished speaking, he reached his hand back and pinched Fang Shaoyi's leg, saying, \"The only thing that I want to talk about are these legs of yours.\"

\"Is that so?\" Fang Shaoyi's voice was flat as he moved Yuan Ye's hand down, \"How about we talk about this?\"

\"...Sure, we can talk about that.\" Yuan Ye couldn't handle this kind of teasing and felt like he was about to explode.

Fang Shaoyi let go of him and went to pour himself a glass of water, drinking it slowly with a blank expression. Yuan Ye took a deep breath before laughing and saying, \"Talking about this won't do any good. It's not like you need mine, even if we talk it'll be about yours.\"

Yuan Ye's mouth never stayed idle, always looking for a chance to be mischievous. Fang Shaoyi gave him a deep look but didn't bother with him. Yuan Ye would have to leave soon, and there was no time for it. Fang Shaoyi pointed at him, and Yuan Ye laughed, keeping his mouth shut and no longer acting foolish.

The two of them enjoyed their relationship, and time passed quickly. At first, it was all about pleasing each other, but as time went on, it became a game of flirting and teasing between them, which was quite amusing. Outsiders who didn't know the truth thought that Yuan Ye had been pursuing Fang Shaoyi for a long time, and it was a difficult chase. Only those who knew the inside story understood that these two guys were just having fun because they had too much time on their hands.

For example, Ji Xiaotao had grown numb from watching his two brothers. His heart was as calm as still water. At first, he would occasionally message his assistant, Dong Lin Xuan, to boast about his conquests. But after a while, he had boasted enough.

When Dong Lin hadn't heard from him in a while, he took the initiative to ask, \"Did your brothers break up again?\"

Ji Xiaotao replied with a dark expression, \"It's your brother who broke up.\"

Recently, Yuan Ye's cooking skills have improved greatly. Whether it's making soup or noodles, everything is made with love. Occasionally, he even adds some special touches to show his affection. During Christmas, he even brought home a huge Christmas tree, adorned with a bunch of gifts.

Fang Shaoyi didn't know how to react at first, but he could imagine how Yuan Ye managed to hang everything up without a ladder. He's like a wild monkey, climbing up effortlessly. However, Fang Shaoyi had no idea how to take it down. The tree was over two meters tall, and he needed a long ladder to reach the top. He couldn't believe that at forty years old, he still had to go through all this trouble just to receive gifts from Santa Claus. Why can't Santa just put the gifts under his pillow?

Despite an unwilling expression on his face and complaints in his mouth, he still spent over half an hour having his photos taken on Christmas Eve, capturing more than ten shots. In the end, he carefully selected three photos: one panoramic shot, one of him sitting on a ladder unwrapping gifts, and one of him sitting on the floor surrounded by colorful gift boxes, his long legs stretched out, smiling with satisfaction. He even added a caption: \"Happy holidays, from seven-year-old Fang.\"

His fans below couldn't help but burst into laughter and exclaim with joy, accusing him of being cruel to single dogs. But his fans understood him perfectly - he did it on purpose, that was the whole point. Someone even revealed that Yuan Ye had posted a WeChat moment with the caption \"Seven-year-old Fang\" in the past, and when the two posts were put together, the meaning was clear.

CP fans need no introduction, they can just lie down and eat candy all day. They don't care about what others say, they can't even finish eating all the candy they have.

Yuan Ye didn't see Fang Shaoyi's Weibo post, but some kind-hearted people in his friend circle kept sending him notifications. After reading them, Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi in disbelief, \"What are you showing off for?\"

Fang Shaoyi hadn't even opened his gifts yet. At first, he had a look of disdain on his face, but he couldn't keep up the act and his eyes were filled with laughter. He tried to sound serious and said, \"Why do you care?\"

\"I don't care,\" Yuan Ye helped him open the gifts, there were dozens of them and Fang Shaoyi was taking forever. \"I wouldn't dare to care, you're the boss.\"

Fang Shaoyi pointed to the box in his hand and said, \"Put it down.\"

\"Ah, okay,\" Yuan Ye looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then sighed and put it down. \"Okay, okay.\"

Yuan Ye could handle all these fancy things, and Fang Shaoyi was coaxed to the heavens by him. When it came to giving gifts during the holidays or doing anything else, he prepared them with care, but not as extravagantly as Yuan Ye.

That year, they spent the Spring Festival at Fang Shaoyi's parents' house and went back to Yuan Ye's parents' house on the second day of the new year. During the New Year, the two of them exchanged greetings privately. Yuan Ye had a set of blessings, and every time he said one, Fang Shaoyi gave him a red envelope. In the end, Fang Shaoyi ran out of red envelopes before Yuan Ye finished.

Helplessly, Fang Shaoyi said to him, \"I'm out, don't say anymore.\"

Yuan Ye was grinning mischievously with a bunch of red envelopes he had collected from Fang Shaoyi. Suddenly, he leaned over and reached into Fang Shaoyi's pocket, pulling out another red envelope. He chuckled and said, \"You thought I wouldn't guess that you were hiding one.\"

Fang Shaoyi was helpless and said, \"Can you at least leave me one? It's for after the event.\"

Yuan Ye burst out laughing, \"No need for after-event red envelopes. I'll feel like I'm collecting fees or something.\"

\"What fees?\" Fang Shaoyi licked his lips, and Yuan Ye felt like he was being teased by his expression.

Scratching his head, Yuan Ye winked at him and mouthed, \"Service fees.\"

He had said it, so he was clearly asking for it. Fang Shaoyi couldn't disappoint him. He had to make sure Yuan Ye's New Year's wishes were fulfilled.

......

As they finished up, the year had already passed and the new year had begun. Yuan Ye lay there, rummaging through his clothes for a cigarette, when Fang Shaoyi pulled out a red envelope from somewhere and handed it to him. He lightly bit his own lips before saying, \"Here's your lucky money, may you have a safe and peaceful year.\"

Yuan Ye laughed, \"I still haven't dug them all out, how do you still have some?\"

Fang Shaoyi replied, \"Even if you dig more out, I'll still have some left. I have to leave some lucky money for you.\"

Yuan Ye took the lucky money and kissed it before reaching under his pillow and pulling out another red envelope. He handed it to Fang Shaoyi and said softly, \"You always give me lucky money every year, from now on, I'll give you some too. All my blessings are for you, and I'll make sure they're firmly pressed to you.\"

Fang Shaoyi took the envelope and looked at it for a long time without saying a word. Yuan Ye reached up and touched his face, lowering his voice as he spoke, \"I used to be pretty thick-skinned and not very attentive. There were a lot of things I didn't think about, but looking back now, I feel like I haven't been good enough to you.\"

\"In the future, I'll try to think more about things. If I say something wrong, just tell me. And if there's anything I've done that's made things difficult for you, let me know.\" The small lamp on the bedside made everything feel intimate and gentle as Yuan Ye continued, \"We still have a long way to go, and I want to be even better to you.\"

Fang Shaoyi met his gaze, their eyes locked in a tender embrace. Fang Shaoyi had originally wanted to ask where Yuan Ye's sudden realization had come from, but he felt that it wasn't necessary.

When your lover expresses their feelings, the best thing to do is to accept them with an open heart.

So in the end, Fang Shaoyi just nodded and said, \"Okay.\"

","published_time":"2024-04-29T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-01T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-04-29T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":573,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":56,"chapter_title":"Chapter 56","content":"

Being together with someone you love is a daily dose of warmth. No conflicts, no disputes, just a peaceful and beautiful relationship that gradually fills the voids of past regrets and small wounds.

Fang Shaoyi had been on a break since he finished filming in April, almost a year ago. He didn't take on any work during this time, except for occasional promotional events and film festivals. His life slowed down drastically, almost to a standstill.

It was undeniable that his relationship with Yuan Ye had grown rapidly over the past year. After all, they had no conflicts to begin with, and their relationship was meant to be smooth sailing. However, if external factors keep igniting the fire, who knows if it will explode from within like before. Only time will tell.

A year ago, Fang Shaoyi went on a few promotional tours and participated in several events. Jiang Linchuan's movie was a hit during the Chinese New Year season and Fang Shaoyi's two movies that followed were also successful. Despite having completely different styles, both movies were well-received and Fang Shaoyi's acting skills were praised by netizens.

Film critics had mixed reviews for the two movies, but they all had kind words for Fang Shaoyi. There wasn't much criticism directed towards him because, for actors, it's all about their work and acting skills. If a movie doesn't do well, the blame falls on the director and screenwriter, not the actors.

As an artist, Fang Shaoyi didn't have any major flaws before his divorce. He has always been very ethical in his work.

Last year, Fang Shaoyi was a hot topic with a variety show and two successful movies. Most people would have taken advantage of this popularity to climb even higher, but Fang Shaoyi chose to stop and declined all offers except those from his previous collaborators. It may seem like a missed opportunity, but perhaps he values loyalty and quality over quick success.

Geng Jinwei didn't have much to say about his affairs, after all, Fang Shaoyi was already mature enough. And in this kind of relationship between them, Geng Jinwei wouldn't say much, especially when it came to making money. If Fang Shaoyi didn't want to earn or take on a job, Geng Jinwei would give a few reminders and that was enough.

Over the years, they have worked together without any conflicts, always in harmony and understanding. This is also related to both of them being clear-headed and considering each other's needs. Geng Jinwei never forced Fang Shaoyi to make money or take on any jobs, always respecting his wishes. Fang Shaoyi also tried to cooperate as much as possible, bringing along anyone that Geng Jinwei asked him to.

Relationships rely on communication, and working with someone who understands you is the easiest. At the beginning of the year, as usual, Geng Jinwei made a work plan for Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi accepted it and Geng Jinwei said, \"At least tell me, how much longer do you plan to take a break? I also want to see how to arrange it. You have to tell me your plan.\"

Fang Shaoyi smiled and said to him, \"I really don't know. Let's not plan for work this year. In the past, my work took priority over my life, but in the future, I want to focus more on life.\"

\"Retiring from the entertainment industry?\" Geng Jinwei raised his thick eyebrows and looked at Fang Shaoyi. \"Can you let it go?\"

Fang Shaoyi lowered his head and thought for a moment. After a while, he seemed to smile and said lightly, \"I can.\"

At this time of year, Geng Jinwei was particularly busy and often had to go on business trips. Whenever he had time, Fang Shaoyi would go to the company to help him share some of the workload. However, Geng Jinwei did not relax, and the busier he was, the more trouble he caused.

But it wasn't Fang Shaoyi who caused trouble, it was Yuan Ye.

Ji Xiaotao ran up from downstairs to find Fang Shaoyi, showing him something on Weibo. At first, Fang Shaoyi thought it was nothing, but after reading it, his face became a little serious.

He called Yuan Ye and said he would come to pick him up later. Yuan Ye probably didn't see the seriousness of the situation and asked him what he wanted to eat tonight in a cheerful tone.

Fang Shaoyi lowered his voice and said, \"You decide, I'm fine with anything.\"

\"Okay, we'll talk about it later,\" Yuan Ye said on the phone.

\"Okay,\" Fang Shaoyi said before hanging up.

Putting down his phone, he turned to Ji Xiaotao and said, \"Use your own account to post on Weibo.\"

Ji Xiaotao nodded and asked, \"Okay, what should I say?\"

\"Stir up some trouble first,\" Fang Shaoyi frowned, \"They're trying to control the narrative. You stir things up and stabilize the situation, then let the PR team handle it.\"

As Fang Shaoyi was speaking, Geng Jinwei's phone rang. Ji Xiaotao answered the call and promised, \"Okay, brother.\"

The Weibo post was made by He Han, directly mentioning Yuan Ye and pointing his sword at him: \"@Yuan Ye, Yuan-laoshi, no wonder you said those things back then. These days, I finally understand what you meant. You said I was relying on others for support, but where do I have any support? Thinking about all the effort and hard work, it's so ridiculous! Now you can beat a stray dog when it's down.\"

The accompanying photo showed him on set, in character, and there was also a screenshot from a previous Weibo post by He Han hinting at the two male leads.

His agent reposted the message, adding in his caption: \"The words \"relying on others for support\" and \"beating a stray dog when it's down\" were all from Yuan-laoshi's mouth. It was extremely humiliating. However, in order not to affect the production of the show, He Han endured it. But he didn't receive the same level of reward for his efforts, and there is nothing to say. Hope that the heavens would treat those who worked hard and persevered kindly!\"

In the comments section, fans had taken over, expressing their sympathy for poor He Han, who had been taken advantage of by the production team and bullied on set. Yuan Ye's words were too vicious.

The hot search results were all about He Han's lack of popularity despite his years of hard work. People shared photos of him from his early idol dramas, evoking nostalgia and using the hashtag #ThoseYearsHeHanGaveUsGirlsDreams#. Some even added the rumor that Yuan Ye was a bully on set, with Fang Shaoyi acting like a big shot. They were known to pick on new actors and even made a young actress cry.

The comments section was filled with insults, but after just ten minutes, the topic quickly shifted to criticisms planted by a water army. Waves of criticism were directed at Yuan Ye, with people bringing up his divorce and appearance on variety shows as evidence of his poor character. The foundation for his bad reputation had already been laid, so no matter how much dirt was thrown at him, it was believable.

Fans were unsure of what to say, afraid of speaking out of turn and being ridiculed. As a result, their responses were weak.

Meanwhile, both Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye's Weibo accounts were flooded with comments asking for a response. However, neither side had said anything. It was Fang Shaoyi's assistant who first spoke up, posting a picture of the original script with the actors' names listed in order of their importance. Fang Shaoyi was listed as the first actor, while He Han was fifth.

The caption read, \"[Smiling emoji] According to the order, he's only the fourth male supporting character. Where did the two male leads come from?\"

With him speaking up, Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye's fans now dared to speak up too. They immediately retort, poking at He Han's sore spots, mocking his acting skills and for daring to compete with Fang Shaoyi for the lead role. Are you not afraid of being beaten up? They even start digging into He Han's dark history over the years, with this producer and that director. You've worked hard, He Han!

He Han was indeed tricked by the director, adding so many scenes that were ultimately not included. This is a grudge that cannot be swallowed. The director even kept the entire crew in the dark, but the hype that He Han could gain from that was not as strong as what he could get from Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye. He had to get whatever he could from them, there was no loss to him.

There are always some people in this industry who will do anything for fame and attention, without any sense of shame.

Geng Jinwei called Fang Shaoyi and said, \"I'll be back tonight, don't make a sound.\"

\"You do your thing,\" Fang Shaoyi said in a deep voice, \"No need to come back, it's not a big deal, I'll talk to the PR myself.\"

\"Forget it,\" Geng Jinwei sneered, \"You can't stay calm when it comes to Yuan Ye. I'll come.\"

Geng Jinwei asked again, \"Did Yuan Ye say those things?\"

Fang Shaoyi frowned and said, \"Yes, the circumstances forced him to say it. If he didn't, I would have said it myself.\"

\"You couldn't have,\" Geng Jinwei laughed, then said, \"Some people deserve to be scolded. When will this bastard climb down from his sugar daddy's bed...\"

He didn't finish the sentence, but it was clear that as soon as this bastard climbed down, Geng Jinwei would make his move. He had been putting up with his antics for so long, only because of giving his current benefactor some face.

Just because Fang Shaoyi had a good temper didn't mean his company did too. Over the years, anything unpleasant that Fang Shaoyi wanted to say was always said by the company. Geng Jinwei knew he didn't have the same level of self-control as Fang Shaoyi.

Fang Shaoyi said to him, \"I might not make movies anymore in the future. I don't care if I get criticized.\"

This meant that they needed to minimize the negative impact on Yuan Ye as much as possible. Geng Jinwei understood his meaning immediately and sighed, \"You don't want Yuan Ye to be criticized, and I don't want you to be criticized either. I'll have to deal with this damn thing sooner or later. Why does this cheap bastard keep coming to me?\"

After cursing for a couple of sentences, he hung up the phone.

Fang Shaoyi rubbed his forehead after putting down his phone, feeling truly annoyed. He couldn't accept the fact that Yuan Ye was being cursed at, those words burned his eyes.

Yuan Ye was one of the few \"good people\" in this industry, a truly good person. Fang Shaoyi only considered himself \"not bad\", but he couldn't be considered good.

Over the years, Yuan Ye had spent almost 70% of his income on free libraries, building schools in underdeveloped areas, and public healthcare. Fang Shaoyi always felt that Yuan Ye had the love of a scholar, and seeing him being attacked left a deep pain in Fang Shaoyi's heart.

When Fang Shaoyi picked up Yuan Ye, he clearly didn't know what had happened yet. His face still had a smile on it as he shrunk his shoulders and got into the car, saying, \"It's so cold today.\"

\"You didn't wear enough,\" Fang Shaoyi also laughed and spoke to him, \"I told you to wear something thicker this morning but you didn't listen.\"

\"I thought since you were picking me up both ways, it wouldn't matter what I wore,\" Yuan Ye rubbed Fang Shaoyi's cheek with the back of his hand, \"but I forgot how far it was from the gate to inside, I froze my ass off. Is it cold?\"

Fang Shaoyi rubbed his hand and lightly smiled, \"Not really.\"

Yuan Ye looked at him and after a while suddenly asked, \"What's wrong? You don't seem very happy today?\"

Fang Shaoyi had originally planned to say \"no\". According to his usual style, he would definitely have said \"not much\" to Yuan Ye. But the words were on the tip of his tongue, and he didn't say them. Instead, he hit the brakes at the red light and asked Yuan Ye, \"If I stop acting in movies, can Yuan-laoshi support me?\"

Yuan Ye was waiting for him to speak seriously, but when he heard this, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Without thinking, he said, \"Of course,\" before asking, \"Why would you stop acting?\"

This time, Fang Shaoyi didn't hide the truth. In a low voice, he said, \"He Han posted a Weibo, talking about how he relied on his connections. You got caught in the crossfire and got criticized again.\"

Yuan Ye blinked its eyes and looked at Fang Shaoyi. The smile on its face had not yet faded as he touched his head and softly asked, \"Have I caused trouble for you again?\"

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, \"I just suddenly hate all of this... I've never hated it like this before.\"

","published_time":"2024-05-06T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-07T01:47:44.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-06T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":580,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":57,"chapter_title":"Chapter 57","content":"

The decision to cut the scene was made by director Jiang Linchuan. Fang Shaoyi knew this from the beginning, but Yuan Ye was unaware until the end. In the end, they both had to take the blame, but it was mainly on Yuan Ye, and Fang Shaoyi was dragged into it.

However, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi were tied together in this mess. If he claimed he didn't know, no one would believe him. After all, they were all in this together.

But Jiang Linchuan was not a coward. He had made the decision to cut scenes out of necessity, weighing the pros and cons. He knew there would be backlash, but he accepted it for the sake of the film. He decided to wait until everything had settled before making any changes.

However, He Han did not expect Jiang Linchuan to speak up so soon. That night, he announced that the length of the film and the desired effect had led to the decision to cut many scenes, including those of several key actors. This was an inevitable outcome in the film industry. The first cut was over 200 minutes long, but it was eventually trimmed down to the final product.

His Weibo post was far from perfect, with plenty of flaws that left him open to criticism. As a result, most of the backlash was directed at him, drawing some of the fire away from the other side.

\"What are you saying, Director?\" Yuan Ye said on the phone to Jiang Linchuan. \"It's no fun talking like this.\"

Jiang Linchuan personally called Yuan Ye and admitted that Yuan Ye had been wronged this time, owing him one. Yuan Ye replied on the phone, \"I've been criticized for so many years, I'm used to it. It's nothing, don't worry about it. Besides, it really did come from me, there's no denying that.\"

Yuan Ye's words that He Han's agent was beating a stray dog when it was done were said right in front of the director's face, and no one was spared from the scene. The agent had been so arrogant that even if Yuan Ye wanted to keep quiet, he couldn't. That's why Fang Shaoyi told him to calm down, to prevent what happened today. He wanted to protect Yuan Ye from being targeted like this, but it didn't work.

Fang Shaoyi listened to Yuan Ye's phone call and got up to make him a cup of tea.

There were many times when he felt helpless. Even with his background and status, he couldn't guarantee that Yuan Ye wouldn't be affected. When he was young, he didn't want him to be involved in this industry at all, but later he realized that it was impossible to avoid it.

Yuan Ye didn't mind getting scolded for what he said, but it also affected Fang Shaoyi and made him feel a bit angry and complicated. He felt a sense of defeat, like he had messed up again.

He said to Fang Shaoyi, \"You told me not to act impulsively and to hold back my anger, but at that time, I was still angry. How could I hold back? Now I understand.\"

Fang Shaoyi patted his head and said, \"Then don't hold back. Just stay like this.\"

\"That also sounds nice,\" Yuan Ye smiled. \"Anyway, we're going to get scolded no matter what, so we might as well enjoy ourselves first. I regret not scolding more at that time. If there's a next time, I'll definitely say it with gusto. Even if I get scolded again, it won't be a loss.\"

Suddenly, Fang Shaoyi realized that what he said made sense. Before, he only wanted to rein Yuan Ye in a little, so others wouldn't have any leverage to use against him and he wouldn't get scolded. But now, he thought that if Yuan Ye just followed his heart, at least he would be freer than he is now.

Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye sitting there drinking tea, and as he watched, he even laughed. Yuan Ye looked at him with some surprise, and Fang Shaoyi smiled and said, \"I regret not letting you scold them more back then. What should we do now? Should we scold them now?\"

Yuan Ye also laughed along, and after chuckling for a while, he said, \"Should I go on Weibo and scold them?\"

Fang Shaoyi picked up the tablet next to him and handed it over, saying, \"Go ahead.\"

Yuan Ye took the tablet and really logged into his Weibo account. He couldn't stop laughing. He knew he wasn't good at cursing, but what He Han and his friends wanted was attention, and all the cursing they would receive gave them just that. They weren't afraid of being criticized, in fact, they wished Yuan Ye would expose all their messy secrets.

Nowadays, even if someone climbs into bed with a sugar daddy, they won't be criticized, and ordinary people will just eat popcorn and move on. More topics mean more hot searches, and being teased is something they crave for.

As soon as Yuan Ye logged onto Weibo, the first message that popped up on his homepage was a post by Ji Xiaotao sharing a post by Yang Siran: \"I've been on the set for a few months now, and Brother Yuan Ye has always taken care of me. He even gave me a red envelope for Chinese New Year. I was really nervous when I first joined the set, but I'm grateful for Brother Yuan and Brother Shaoyi's guidance and advice. I've learned a lot from them. They've been patient with me and never said anything harsh. I'm really grateful.\"

There was also a praying hands emoji at the end.

Yuan Ye clicked his tongue and said, \"Is this post by Little Yang arranged by the PR?\"

Fang Shaoyi glanced at it and said nonchalantly, \"I'm not sure.\"

Yuan Ye said, \"I hope it's not something he posted himself, or he'll get criticized. Whoever associates with me will be finished now.\"

It was Yang Siran who posted the Weibo himself, without consulting anyone. But he's doing pretty well in the movie, with a likable appearance and a silly but cute character. He's even gained some fans, mostly those who are fans of his looks. Later, it seemed like Geng Jinwei had arranged a variety show for him to film with other new actors. If they promote it well, it should gain some popularity.

The Weibo post was a bit impulsive, and his assistant was quite frustrated, saying beside him, \"I told you to just post some photos on Weibo, and not say too much! How come you can't remember that? Look now, all the past rumors are being dug up again! These kinds of scandals will ruin your image!\"

Yang Siran lowered his head and apologized, \"I'm sorry, Brother Zheng, I was impulsive.\"

\"It's normal for newbies not to handle their own Weibo accounts. I only let you do it because you were obedient. Look at you now, what are you going to do?\" Zheng Guang furrowed his brows and said to him, \"The higher-ups are asking me about this. We both will get scolded!\"

\"Just say you didn't know and that I posted it myself.\" Yang Siran said apologetically, \"That's how it was supposed to be, it's my own business.\"

Zheng Guang let out a long sigh, \"Can't you just not provoke President Geng, ancestor...\"

\"I didn't mean to provoke anyone,\" Yang Siran pursed his lips, \"Brother Yuan Ye has been good to me, I just wanted to say something.\"

\"When it comes to loyalty,\" Zheng Guang looked at him and said, \"the entertainment industry is not a place for it.\"

Yang Siran glanced at him and then looked away without saying anything.

But his impulsive Weibo post wasn't a big deal. Those who were scolding Yuan Ye were doing so blindly, and whoever supported Yuan Ye would also get scolded, but that only increased the numbers of both Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi's fans. Besides, he was originally from Fang Shaoyi's company, although it hadn't been announced yet. Eventually, he would have to be tied to the company.

It wasn't a big deal, otherwise Ji Xiaotao wouldn't have reposted his Weibo. Ji Xiaotao's intentions were basically the same as the higher-ups.

Yang Siran didn't have an agent until later when he was assigned his current assistant, who acted as both a half-assistant and half-agent. Yang Siran was always cooperative. Later, Zheng Guang secretly asked him what he had been doing before, as he had almost ruined his career.

Yang Siran didn't say anything, he just shook his head lightly. He didn't want an agent, but he was willing to accept and cooperate with any arrangements the company made.

This time was an accident. Yang Siran knew about the situation on the set, and he couldn't bear to see Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi being scolded. Even though he didn't have many fans, he still had to say what needed to be said. The assistant said that the entertainment industry is not a place for loyalty, but who knows if that's true. Regardless of where you are, you should always keep a bit of humanity.

As humans, we have emotions, and places with emotions should not be completely indifferent.

As the direct target of the attack, Yuan Ye couldn't ignore it any longer. He had to respond. He didn't want this matter to drag on, and the other party was waiting for his response so they could continue the argument. Yuan Ye had to make them hold their tongues. Besides, their bickering was undignified, like dogs fighting over a bone. Let them say whatever they wanted.

So, in the end, Yuan Ye sent a message that was neither salty nor bland: \"Let's all work hard. Actors should act well, writers should write well, and those who use underhanded methods should think twice. Everything we want is within reach.\"

That was enough. He wouldn't respond any further. He left the rest to Geng Jinwei. It was a small matter, and Geng Jinwei could handle it easily.

This kind of trivial matter wouldn't really affect anything, Yuan Ye will do what it does, but it does affect the mood. Originally, the two of them were happily in love, but these past few days Fang Shaoyi's mood hasn't been too high. Yuan Ye lazily walked up from downstairs, planning to flirt with Fang Shaoyi, but the phone rang at a very inconvenient time.

Yuan Ye glanced at the phone, it was Guan Zhou calling. They haven't talked in a while, so he couldn't ignore it. Before answering the phone, Yuan Ye said to Fang Shaoyi, \"Smile for me.\"

Fang Shaoyi looked up at him and didn't hesitate to pull up the corners of his mouth, revealing a very handsome smile.

Yuan Ye looked at his phone and sighed. Before answering the call, he tilted his hips and gave Fang Shaoyi a sly smile.

\"... \" With that look, he clearly starting to act up again. Yuan Ye turned around to leave, but Fang Shaoyi reached out and hooked his belt. Yuan Ye looked back at him, and Fang Shaoyi hinted with his eyes to the spot next to him, inviting him to stay.

\"Hey there?\" Yuan Ye greeted Guan Zhou with a smile as he sat down next to Fang Shaoyi.

Guan Zhou had just finished a busy season of parties and events at the end of the year, and had finally found some free time to make a phone call. They hadn't seen each other since the New Year, so he wanted to invite him out for a meal.

\"Sure,\" Yuan Ye said calmly as he chatted on the phone and untied his belt, leaning against the headboard. \"Let me know in advance when you're free, and bring Silly Lu along. I'll ask him how much he spent of that 60 million yuan he's already spent.\"

After finishing the phone call, Yuan Ye was ready to do whatever he wanted. He reached over to where Fang Shaoyi was sitting, but then a phone rang again, this time it was Fang Shaoyi's.

Fang Shaoyi stood up to answer the phone, but Yuan Ye grabbed onto his pants, just like how Fang Shaoyi had hooked his belt earlier. Fang Shaoyi turned around and laughed, \"At least let me answer the phone.\"

Yuan Ye blinked and then flipped onto Fang Shaoyi's back like a monkey, saying, \"Go ahead and answer it.\"

Fang Shaoyi had no choice but to carry him while he answered the phone and asked, \"Have you not climbed a tree in a while? Your hands are itchy, always crawling on me.\"

Yuan Ye laughed and breathed into Fang Shaoyi's ear, \"Just a little bit.\"

Fang Shaoyi turned his back to Yuan Ye with one hand, while the other picked up his phone. He glanced at it and answered, \"Hello? Leader.\"

","published_time":"2024-05-13T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-15T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-13T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":587,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":58,"chapter_title":"Chapter 58","content":"

Originally, Yuan Ye had planned to lie on Fang Shaoyi for a while, and then pounce onto his front when he hung up the phone.

But the call lasted almost an hour. Eventually, Yuan Ye jumped off Fang Shaoyi's back as he realized that the call was not going to end anytime soon. He turned around and put on his pants.

Fang Shaoyi watched as Yuan Ye put on his pants, and Yuan Ye laughed as he did so. Fang Shaoyi waved at him, and Yuan Ye walked over to sit on the sofa with him. Fang Shaoyi put his arm around Yuan Ye's shoulder and said into the phone, \"Yes, please go ahead.\"

Yuan Ye listened carefully to the call, and later Fang Shaoyi put it on speaker. Yuan Ye quietly listened to their conversation without interrupting. Wei Hua's voice was hoarse on the phone, and he sighed and said, \"Given the situation, I don't need to say much to you. The shooting has been going on for three months now, and you know how difficult it is.\"

\"I understand,\" Fang Shaoyi said, his expression becoming heavy as they continued to talk. He told Wei Hua, \"I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning. Don't worry, don't get angry. Good things come to those who wait.\"

Director Wei let out a bitter laugh over the phone, \"I hope so. To be honest with you, I have several blisters in my mouth. The others in the group have been urging me to call you for a while now, but you know me, I hate forcing people. Things that are done unwillingly never turn out well. But today, I have no choice. I need someone who is available now and can handle my film, and you're the only one left.\"

\"I understand,\" said Fang Shaoyi.

Wei Hua continued, \"I won't say much more. Just consider this as saving me from a difficult situation. I'll be waiting for your call. Let me know if you can make it.\"

\"Of course,\" replied Fang Shaoyi.

After hanging up the phone, Fang Shaoyi looked out at Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye was also looking back at him. Before Fang Shaoyi could say anything, Yuan Ye spoke first, \"Brother Yi, you have to go.\"

Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye locked eyes, their mutual understanding rendering words unnecessary. Yuan Ye furrowed his brow before continuing, \"If you didn't want to take the job before filming started, that's your choice. But now they need you to save the day. I'm guessing Director Wei wouldn't have called you if he had any other options. And even if you were busy, you'd have to make time for this. I mean, come on, it's not like you have anything better to do.\"

Just now, when Wei Hua called, it was indeed about work. Fang Shaoyi didn't accept the job for \"Whisper\", but he had already told Wei Hua beforehand so he could look for someone else. Director Wei had indeed started preparing early, carefully selecting an actor and sending him to Shaanxi to blend into the countryside and shed his glamorous star aura before filming began.

The start of filming went smoothly, and Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye had even visited the set before. The actor's performance was decent, with a lot of explosive energy.

However, the phone call just now revealed that the actor had taken a leave of absence last week to celebrate his girlfriend's birthday and hadn't been able to return to the set because he was arrested for drug use.

His talent agency is desperately trying to suppress the news, but it's bound to explode sooner or later. This actor is no longer usable, and all the previous scenes he starred in need to be re-shot with a new actor. The production has been delayed for so long that the expenses are piling up like water flowing out of a tap. The only thing left to do now is to find a replacement actor as soon as possible, and Fang Shaoyi is the perfect candidate.

However, the incident occurred last week but the call only just came. It was clear that Director Wei had been looking for other options. He didn't want to use his personal relationship to force Fang Shaoyi to take on this role. But now he had no other options.

Actors are not hard to find, but scheduling good actors needs to be done over a year in advance, sometimes even earlier. If you want to find someone who can immediately join the crew and not hold back Wei Hua's film with their acting skills, then you really can't find anyone.

Fang Shaoyi rubbed his forehead, and Yuan Ye grabbed his wrist. His palm was warm, and he looked at Fang Shaoyi and said, \"I know why you don't want to act, and we haven't talked about it. One, I'm afraid we'll argue if we talk about it. I speak without thinking. And secondly, I want you to take this time to rest. You've been too tired for the past two years.\"

Yuan Ye lifted one leg and straddled Fang Shaoyi, with both knees on the sofa. He pinched his chin and made him look up at himself. Fang Shaoyi raised his eyebrows and chuckled, \"This move...\"

\"Am I handsome?\" Yuan Ye asked with a smile, but then he quickly became serious and said, \"Brother Yi, don't be confused. Let's take our time to sort things out between us, and I believe that neither of us will make the same mistake again. I believe in myself and I believe in you.\"

Yuan Ye's eyes were firm as he spoke of his belief, and at this moment, his charm was probably irresistible to anyone who was his lover.

Fang Shaoyi reached out and hugged him, burying his face in Yuan Ye's chest, where the scent of soap lingered on his clothes. Fang Shaoyi let out a gentle sigh and rubbed his forehead against Yuan Ye's body, showing a completely vulnerable side. He never hesitated to show his weakness in front of Yuan Ye. His voice sounded muffled through the fabric of Yuan Ye's clothes as he said, \"I'm really scared.\"

With one hand reaching forward to balance himself against the back of the sofa, and the other gently grasping the back of Fang Shaoyi's head by his hair, Yuan Ye asked him, \"What are you afraid of?\"

\"Many things,\" Fang Shaoyi repeated in a low voice, \"many things.\"

Yuan Ye had tough bones, having grown up rolling around in the mountains and forests like a real man. His frame and physique were both sturdy and strong. Although he didn't have the artistic muscle lines like Fang Shaoyi, he was definitely powerful, with a broad and solid chest and back that exuded a mature male strength.

\"Are you afraid that I won't like it?\" Yuan Ye asked softly, \"Are you afraid that I'll push you away like I did before, along with everything else around you?\"

Fang Shaoyi let out a soft \"Mm\" before slowly continuing, \"I'm also afraid that one day you'll want to break up, but can't bear to... and then go back and forth, wanting to speak but holding back.\"

With that one sentence, he shattered Yuan Ye's heart.

Fang Shaoyi had never spoken like this before. It seemed like he never shared his innermost thoughts with anyone, whether it was when he was younger or now. He never said what he was thinking, and you had to figure it out for yourself.

Yuan Ye knew this about him and had grown accustomed to it. He rarely pressed him for answers because that was just his personality. It wasn't necessary to try and change him. Just like how Fang Shaoyi never restricted Yuan Ye's words, unless he was afraid of him offending someone. One was open, the other reserved. That was just how they were.

This was the first time in a long time that Yuan Ye had heard Fang Shaoyi talk about his feelings. It wasn't in a roundabout way or through other words, but directly saying that he was afraid. The impact was too strong, and Yuan Ye's eyes were starting to turn red. He leaned over and gave Fang Shaoyi a kiss on the head, and said in a hoarse voice, \"Don't be afraid.\"

Yuan Ye said, \"It's enough to pay the price of separation once, there won't be a next time.\"

Yuan Ye understood Fang Shaoyi's struggle clearly. He really didn't want to take on any more roles, especially after the one that He Han and his team had been involved in lately that only made him even more reluctant to take on any more work in the short term. If Yuan Ye wasn't Fang Shaoyi's lover, and he was just a scholar, he would be much freer and wouldn't have so many people criticizing him.

The torment that Yuan Ye faced in this industry was also tormenting Fang Shaoyi. Every word of criticism towards Yuan Ye felt like a stab in Fang Shaoyi's heart.

But the one calling him was Director Wei, who he was both indebted and close to. He had to help in this situation. Although Fang Shaoyi appeared indifferent on the surface, he was actually a person who valued loyalty and affection. Every word Director Wei spoke on the phone was heartfelt, and if Fang Shaoyi could remain indifferent during such a difficult time, he wouldn't be himself.

Yuan Ye said, \"I want to see you make movies. I fell in love with you because of your films.\"

Fang Shaoyi remained silent as Yuan Ye planted a kiss on his collarbone. He heard Yuan Ye's voice, low and gentle, as he whispered in his ear and said, \"The you beside me is my heart... and the you in the movies is my dream.\"

Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi went to the set together. They flew there directly the next afternoon. When they arrived, there was no need for any discussion. Fang Shaoyi quickly scanned the contract and signed it.

The pay was very low, lower than any other project he had worked on before. Director Wei said, \"I'm not trying to cheat you. We spent too much money in the beginning, and we already can't afford the cost of reshooting. I still have to negotiate with the investors, and don't have that much money to give you. I'll remember your kindness, and I'll see what I can do in the future.\"

Fang Shaoyi shook his head. \"Leader, let's not talk about that between us.\"

Wei Hua's throat was hoarse, and a sore on his mouth had already scabbed over. He looked haggard. Changing actors midway through a production was the most troublesome thing, especially when it was the male lead. All the previous efforts would go to waste, and people don't like old things. It's hard to recreate the same emotions as the first time when filming something that has already been shot.

That's why Fang Shaoyi was so valuable. He used his acting skills to try to bring the emotions of the entire production back to life. If each scene was better than the last, it wouldn't just be a rescue mission, but a transformation.

This film is not a commercial one. Director Wei was pursuing the storyline without caring about anything else. However, the producers and other people involved have high expectations for this film. They don't expect it to make a lot of money, but they still want to aim for awards.

The investors are aware of this too. If they invest more money and the film doesn't win any awards and the box office fails, they will lose everything. The investors don't want to invest any more money. Director Wei has already invested 8 million yuan from his own studio, and he can't afford to invest any more.

Fang Shaoyi said, \"I'll fill in the missing funds. Everyone can rest assured and focus on filming without worrying about anything else.\"

The executive producer was also present at the time. He was in charge of the money, and he just patted Fang Shaoyi's shoulder without saying anything.

Wei Hua shook his head and said, \"You don't need to do that. I'll figure something out.\"

\"Don't waste time thinking about that, use your brain to think about how to adjust the scenes that need to be changed,\" Fang Shaoyi said, then turned to the producer and said, \"I'll have Brother Geng contact you tomorrow, and you can explain it to him in detail.\"

In fact, the entire crew had been anxious all week. At first, only a few core members knew about the lead actor being arrested and kept it quiet, afraid of causing panic. But it was not a sustainable solution, as the actor still hadn't returned and the truth couldn't be hidden. The crew was on edge, wondering what to do with the production. Could they still film? Would it be a failure?

Fang Shaoyi's arrival in the group was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for everyone. He wasn't just any actor, but the best candidate chosen during the scriptwriting process. He brought not only his acting skills but also his money, solving two major issues for the production. The rest were just minor details.

Yuan Ye came over to help with the script. Many of the inner monologues were cut out before because it wasn't Fang Shaoyi taking the role, and they were afraid the actor couldn't express them well. Now, many scenes needed to be adjusted, and the lines had to be changed.

The screenwriter asked Yuan Ye, \"Little Yuan, can you stay here and help me?\"

Yuan Ye replied, \"Of course, I can do that. But I also have something else to do. I can help when they don't need me over there.\"

\"In these past few days while you're here, I thought it would be a good opportunity for us to chat,\" said the screenwriter, who was Director Wei's long-time partner in both the screenwriting and literary circles. He was one of the top figures in the industry, and Yuan Ye had always respected him since he was young and admired him greatly.

Yuan Ye nodded and replied, \"Sure, no problem.\"

The two of them came to the set suddenly, and Ji Xiaotao was still at the company with a lot of work to do. There was no one to take care of his workload for now. Fang Shaoyi suggested, \"Why don't you stay at the company? You're not young anymore.\"

Ji Xiaotao immediately refused, \"No, no, no. I have to follow you until you're old. If you're not filming, I'll be at the company. If you're filming, I have to be there with you. Who else will I talk to when Brother Ye leaves in a few days?\"

The phone was on speaker, and Yuan Ye laughed and said, \"Wouldn't it be great to be a manager in the company? Are you silly?\"

\"Yuan Ye, don't join my brother in persuading me! Then won't I be lonely, right?\" Ji Xiaotao asked. \"Did I do something wrong? Do you think I'm too old and want someone younger?\"

As soon as he said this, Yuan Ye quickly replied, \"No! Come on, come right away! You can come tomorrow!\"

Ji Xiaotao's voice became low, and he sounded quite disappointed. \"Anyway, if you want to find someone else, I don't mind. I'll find you someone who is hardworking and honest.\"

Fang Shaoyi chuckled, and Yuan Ye also laughed. Yuan Ye spoke into the phone, \"Okay, stop pretending. We won't stop you from coming, so don't act like a naive cabbage.\"

\"Hahaha, okay then,\" Ji Xiaotao stopped acting and grinned, \"I'll go once I settle all these matters!\"

In reality, the online wave of criticism the two of them had been facing was far from over. He Han had successfully played the victim and gained sympathy from \"righteous\" netizens who were constantly pitying him. Some with wild imaginations even imagined the two of them as bullies. He Han was pushing his luck, but Yuan Ye couldn't publicly argue with him again, as it would lower his own status.

However, there was no way that Geng Jinwei would let He Han get away with his disgusting behavior. All his ugly matters were exposed by \"netizens\" and some were even revealed by marketing accounts. The truth and lies were mixed together, but one after another, they kept coming. He wanted attention, didn't he? Well, he got it.

After reading about all his scandals, many people thought that if someone like Yuan Ye criticized him, then he must have done something truly disgusting. Why wouldn't he scold others?

You have no shame and insist on having two male leads, so any scolding you receive is well-deserved.

He Han wasn't afraid of being criticized. Nowadays, celebrities aren't afraid of scandals. As long as it's not something like cheating, domestic violence, or drug abuse, which can't be redeemed, everything else can be whitewashed over time.

But he might have gotten the attention he wants now, but it's hard to say whether he'll have the chance to redeem himself in the future.

As soon as Fang Shaoyi joined the crew, there were a lot of things to do and neither of them had time to look at the rumors online. Even if people were cursing up a storm online, they couldn't see it. Nobody in the crew had the time to pay attention to those things.

The crew was like a computer that had been shut down and restarted. All the previous work was cancelled. Everything, big or small, had to start over. Even the clothes the actors wore had to be remade. The two actors had different body sizes, so the clothes were too small.

Fang Shaoyi played a young intellectual who had been sent to the countryside and hadn't been able to return for many years. The city vibe had long been worn away from him. When he was young, he had a crush on a girl in the village, and the two of them had many romantic moments in the mountains and forests. At that time, he was a naive and gentle young man, with a bit of recklessness, but also a lovable stubbornness.

Such a boy was bound to be charming. Unfortunately, things were not destined to be lucky for them. The girl became pregnant, and their relationship was exposed. In the ensuing struggle, he saw the girl bleeding with his own eyes, and was later sent to the city hospital, pale-faced.

She never returned. Some say she ran away, others say she died.

Year after year, his hopes were in vain. The cloth strips tied to the high branches of the trees and the lookout on the mountaintop all came to nothing. Eventually, he would often mutter to himself, saying things that no one else could understand.

Many people thought he was crazy, that he had mental problems. He would have moments of clarity, but then he would retreat into his own world. No one ever heard what he was muttering about. In the end, the sound of the cloth strips flapping in the wind merged with the murmurs, like whispers carried by the breeze.

This theme was quite daring, and it took some effort to get it approved. In recent years, certain topics have become increasingly difficult to film, especially those that challenge the censorship system. It's likely that there will be cuts and modifications made in the future.

The actress was a newcomer, only twenty-two years old and very young. Director Wei had previously said that after all the rehearsals, she had finally found the right feeling for the role. She was a bit nervous when she saw Fang Shaoyi, bowing and greeting him, calling him \"Fang-laoshi.\" She also looked at Yuan Ye and called him \"Yuan-laoshi.\"

Fang Shaoyi waved his hand and said, \"No need to be so polite. Brother Shaoyi and Brother Yuan Ye, just call us like this.\"

The actress smiled shyly and said, \"I'm a bit nervous.\"

Yuan Ye laughed and asked her, \"Did you read those online rumors and are afraid that we will make you cry?\"

Everyone around them laughed after he said that, and the young girl quickly shook her head and said, \"No, no, I didn't believe that. Everyone on set says that both of you are very kind.\"

Yuan Ye laughed. \"They're just teasing you. Wait until Fang-laoshi's face turns sour, then he'll start scolding people.\"

The people around them laughed again, and Fang Shaoyi lightly tapped Yuan Ye's head with the script. \"Stop talking nonsense.\"

\"I'm just trying to liven up the atmosphere,\" Yuan Ye said with a smile. \"Everyone's faces are so long, it's scaring me.\"

","published_time":"2024-05-20T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-22T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-20T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":594,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":59,"chapter_title":"Chapter 59","content":"

Fortunately, this play was filmed after Fang Shaoyi took a break for almost a year. If it was last year or a few months ago, it might have been a challenge for his skin condition to match the youthful and handsome young man he was acting as.

The previous two films were quite grueling, especially the one by Director Xin. The wind and sand blew onto his face every day, and Fang Shaoyi didn't pay much attention to skincare. If he had to film a movie that required him to look young immediately after, it would undoubtedly be very difficult.

\"Wow, you still look quite young,\" Yuan Ye rubbed the essence in his palm and pressed it onto Fang Shaoyi's face, massaging it in circles.

Fang Shaoyi lay on his lap, enjoying the loving service with his eyes closed. Yuan Ye had already booked his flight back home next week, and he wouldn't be able to come to the set for a couple of months.

The two of them had gotten used to being together every day, so in the days leading up to Yuan Ye's departure, Fang Shaoyi was acting particularly childish and clingy. Yuan Ye had originally wanted to discuss the script, but Fang Shaoyi held onto him tightly and insisted that he massage his face for him.

Yuan Ye couldn't resist, no way he was discussing the script anymore, he immediately put his things down, washed his hands, and brought over some bottles and jars for his skincare.

Their current state was really good, after all, they had rested for so long, and their relationship and life were very harmonious. Yuan Ye's fingers pressed and massaged his face, looking at him, he suddenly spoke, \"You seem younger than me.\"

As Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes and looked at him, the first thing he saw from this angle was Yuan Ye's chin. He raised his hand and touched it, then said, \"You need to shave.\"

\"I didn't shave this morning,\" Yuan Ye smiled and said, \"I did it on purpose. I thought you looked too young lately, so I wanted to look older.\"

\"Why?\" Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow.

Yuan Ye said, \"So I can look older than you.\"

Fang Shaoyi laughed, \"...What kind of idea is that?\"

\"Haha, I want to hear you call me 'brother',\" Yuan Ye said.

This was completely his twisted sense of humor. He had been calling Fang Shaoyi \"Brother Yi\" for over ten years, and now this ridiculous idea popped up. Yuan Ye couldn't even hold back his laughter, saying, \"I must be crazy.\"

Fang Shaoyi ignored him and let him enjoy himself on the side. After Yuan Ye finished his fun, he continued to help Fang Shaoyi apply oil. The more he applied, the more pleasing it looked. He lowered his head and took a bite out of Fang Shaoyi's mouth.

When Fang Shaoyi joined Director Wei's crew, it felt like coming home. The whole crew was familiar with each other and had great chemistry. Although he initially declined the offer, now that he had accepted, he had to immediately adjust himself and get into character.

Director Wei and he had discussed the role once, and since then, they had a shared understanding of the character and their general ideas aligned. The details could be worked out while filming.

Director Wei instructed Fang Shaoyi to sit under the old tree every day and cultivate a relationship with it. He didn't need to say anything, just sitting at the base of the tree was enough.

The reason why the film crew chose this location was largely due to the decades-old old locust tree in the village. It was an important scene in the film and had existed since that era, witnessing the indescribable times and the many different people who passed by. From youth to old age and death, everyone had their own beliefs to uphold.

The location scouting team took hundreds of photos when looking for the perfect scenery, but Director Wei immediately fell in love with this tree at first sight. Using Director Wei's analogy of making a movie being like falling in love, it was definitely love at first sight.

Together with Yuan Ye, Fang Shaoyi sat down and watched the sunset with his everyday clothes on. They may not speak to each other for a long time, or they may whisper a few words. Sitting like this every day, they really developed a different kind of feeling towards this tree.

Most of the time, Fang Shaoyi thought about the character he was working on, the stubborn man who waited for his love until old age. Over time, this feeling became ingrained, and when he saw this tree, he felt a sense of inexplicable sadness and sorrow in his heart.

Later on, Yuan Ye stopped sitting next to Fang Shaoyi, afraid that he would be distracted. He went to sit on the tree instead, sometimes even lying down. In the spring, the locust tree wasn't as lush, and when the green leaves were just budding, it was perfect for lying down and closing his eyes. He didn't have as much melancholy to brew up, nor did he need to.

Fang Shaoyi's first scene with the camera was under this tree, a very heavy scene between the male and female leads, Kong Chen and Bai Ru. It was also the first scene between the two main characters under this tree after they met.

The male actor had already filmed this scene before, and it was a simple scene but took two days to shoot. Everything that needed to be said had already been said, so there was no need to say anything to the female actor before filming. They could just start the scene.

As it was his first scene, Yuan Ye was a little nervous. Actors couldn't stay too long on set, or they would lose their acting momentum. He pulled up a chair next to the director to watch the monitor. He loved watching Fang Shaoyi on screen, maybe because Yuan Ye also enjoyed filming things. Through the camera lens, he felt like he was seeing a different world. But as soon as the clapperboard sounded, Yuan Ye's nerves disappeared.

Fang Shaoyi always got into character quickly. As soon as the director called \"action\", the set fell silent. In just a few seconds, Fang Shaoyi's entire demeanor changed. Once the scene was called and the clapperboard sounded, Fang Shaoyi became the impulsive and reckless young man from the script, with a lively glint in his eyes.

The proportion of the monitor screen is the same as the actual aspect ratio when it is projected onto the big screen. This is the only way for the director to accurately see the effect of the scene. In the shot, Kong Chen stopped Bai Ru and took the bowl of stones from her hand.

Bai Ru exclaimed, but before she could react, the wooden bowl had already slipped from her hand. Kong Chen was a bit strong, and one of the stones bounced out and hit his own foot. Bai Ru hadn't even finished saying \"thank you\" when she saw him hurt his foot and hesitated, \"Are you okay?\"

In the shot, Kong Chen smiled and shook his head nonchalantly, saying, \"It's nothing. What are you doing with these stones?\"

Young girls were always slightly uneasy when talking to boys. She stood a few steps away from Kong Chen, slightly lowering her head. There was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and her face was flushed with heat as she replied, \"The rain ruined the seedlings two days ago, so we had to bring in some stones to weigh down the cloth when it rains.\"

Although Bai Ru's voice was not loud, it was very pleasant to the ear, crisp and clear.

Kong Chen asked her again, \"Why did you have to move the stones by yourself? What about the others?\"

Bai Ru didn't answer this question, but just shook her head lightly.

Even if she didn't say it, Kong Chen understood. No matter when, being too eye-catching was never a good thing and often led to jealousy and resentment. Bai Ru was beautiful and honest, and among the young women who went to the countryside together, she was often bullied.

At that time, the two of them were not very familiar with each other. Kong Chen didn't say much, and they both fell silent. When Bai Ru looked up at him, he gave her a bright and crisp smile that was even more dazzling than the spring sunshine.

Fang Shaoyi was really good at smiling. Yuan Ye fell in love with the 16-year-old Fang Shaoyi because of his smile in the movie that was so captivating. This time, when Fang Shaoyi smiled in front of the camera, it made Yuan Ye feel a little dazed again. This wasn't the Fang Shaoyi he knew, but rather a young man with an open heart and a gentle demeanor. Who wouldn't be moved by such a clear and transparent youth, Bai Ru included?

Wei Hua was truly a director that Yuan Ye had loved for so many years. This scene was so beautiful. The spring was in full bloom, the tree buds were sprouting, and two clean faces collided for the first time. On the screen, the old times were filled with the youthful and tender fragrance of spring.

After the scene was shot, the director called cut. Yuan Ye turned to ask him, \"Was it good, leader?\"

The stone had hit his foot unexpectedly. The stone was supposed to roll on the ground, but the director didn't call cut, and Fang Shaoyi didn't stop either, so they just continued with the scene. The director didn't say anything about whether it was good or not. When the two actors walked over, he just said, \"Walk another path later.\"

Fang Shaoyi didn't ask any further questions and just nodded, saying, \"Okay.\"

During filming, Fang Shaoyi adjusted his performance level and the actress followed suit. Whenever he changed his approach, the actress adapted accordingly. Fang Shaoyi was very skilled in acting, making it easy for his co-stars to perform opposite him.

Director Wei didn't call for reshoots because something was wrong, but rather to see if a different approach would yield better results. Fang Shaoyi understood the director's intentions without needing to speak much. This was their unspoken understanding.

The actress's name was Qiao Shiyu. After the first day of filming, she bowed to Fang Shaoyi and said, \"Fang-laoshi, you've worked hard.\"

Fang Shaoyi lightly supported her up, but didn't actually touch her, and replied, \"You don't have to be so polite all the time. Your acting was good.\"

Qiao Shiyu rubbed her hands and smiled, \"I'm actually really nervous.\"

\"Don't worry, take it slow,\" said Fang Shaoyi before heading towards Yuan Ye.

The little girl was too young, a pure newcomer who was plucked out to be promoted. Her first film was by Director Wei, and acting against Fang Shaoyi, which could be considered a meteoric rise. But this kind of rise can be a lot of pressure for many newcomers, not everyone can handle it. They greet everyone with respect and fear, because this industry is completely unfamiliar to them.

After following the film crew for a whole day, Yuan Ye felt fulfilled both physically and mentally. He personally preferred this type of story and had a bias for Director Wei. The satisfaction he felt today was something he had never experienced on Jiang Linchuan's film set. It wasn't that Jiang Linchuan's movies were bad, but the dark humor always had a touch of absurdity, and Yuan Ye preferred the traditional old style.

When Fang Shaoyi walked over, Yuan Ye gave him a thumbs up and sincerely praised him, \"Excellent!\"

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and chuckled, \"The director is hasn't said anything, and you're already praising me?\"

\"Oh,\" Yuan Ye looked at the director and smiled, \"Did I say something wrong, Director?\"

The director looked at Yuan Ye and also smiled, asking him, \"You've already said it all, what else can I say?\"

In fact, it was just a joke. Fang Shaoyi is an actor bound by Director Wei, and he must be highly recognized by him. What makes Fang Shaoyi so rare is that even after so many years of collaboration, he still manages to surprise people. His style is not fixed. Give him a role, and once he understands it, he can give you great feedback.

This may sound simple, but it's actually not easy. He doesn't limit himself to any particular level, and every character he's acted is thoroughly emptied and then refilled.

When Ji Xiaotao came to the set, he brought gifts for everyone. Xiaotao has been hanging around Fang Shaoyi for so many years, and he can get along with anyone. Even among assistants, there are different levels, and he belongs to the highest group. He was bossed around by Geng Jinwei in the company for a year, and now he can finally come out and work with the crew again. He feels like his soul has been set free.

In two days, Yuan Ye would have to leave. He still shamelessly asked Yuan Ye, \"Brother Ye, do you still find me annoying when I talk to you? Do you need any information about my brother? Photos? Has he had any improper relationships with the young people in the crew?\"

Just hearing him speak made Brother Ye's head ache. He replied, \"If you dare to send me anything, I will definitely block you.\"

Fang Shaoyi also said, \"Your Brother Ye has a lot of things to do when he goes back. Don't send him unnecessary messages.\"

\"Okay, got it.\" They made up and Ji Xiaotao was no longer anxious. He even told Brother Ye, \"If you can't find my brother, you need to come to me.\"

Brother Ye raised his eyebrows and laughed, \"Can't I just call him? We talk on the phone every night, you know?\"

\"Playing on the phone?\" Ji Xiaotao said expressionlessly. \"The actors and the writers are already working so hard, yet you two still have so much energy?\"

\"Get lost!\" Yuan Ye kicked him, and Ji Xiaotao ran away laughing.

","published_time":"2024-05-27T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-04-29T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-05-27T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":610,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":60,"chapter_title":"Chapter 60","content":"

As Fang Shaoyi returned to his room from the director's office, Yuan Ye was packing his suitcase. He had a flight the next afternoon. Ji Xiaotao was helping him, and handed him a roll of underwear. Yuan Ye said, \"This one is your brother's.\"

\"Oh,\" Ji Xiaotao took it back and handed him another roll, \"How about this one?\"

Yuan Ye looked at it and said, \"That's also your brother's. That's enough, don't worry about the underwear.\"

There's no need for men to fuss over such trivial matters. Ji Xiaotao and their relationship were not affected by a pair of underwear. He folded one of Yuan Ye's shirts and handed it to him, smiling, \"It's been a while since I've followed him. Now I can't even recognize my brother's underwear.\"

\"If anyone hears you saying that, won't they think that this assistant is trying to enter the palace harem?\" Yuan Ye teased.

\"What palace are you trying to force your way into?\" Fang Shaoyi walked in just as they were discussing this.

\"I, Xiaotao-zi, am trying to take over the Wild Concubine. When he abdicates, I'll be Tao Concubine,\" Ji Xiaotao said.

\"What nonsense,\" Fang Shaoyi didn't really want to engage with that, so he asked Yuan Ye, \"Is everything packed?\"

\"Almost done. I didn't have much to begin with,\" Yuan Ye replied before turning to Ji Xiaotao and saying, \"Look at you, trying to be a concubine. You think you look like a concubine?\"

Ji Xiaotao giggled and replied, \"I don't want to be one! You can be the concubine! You look the part!\"

Fang Shaoyi had returned already and, being self-aware, he said his piece and left.

Fang Shaoyi said to Yuan Ye, \"What nonsense do you guys talk about every day.\"

\"All sorts of nonsense,\" Yuan Ye pulled a box and dragged it to the corner, then turned back and smiled at him. \"Come here, give me a hug.\"

Fang Shaoyi walked over and hugged him, kissed him on the face, and said, \"I'm going to start shooting tomorrow morning. Don't come and look for me, just leave director. Don't let me see you.\"

This was obviously a spoiled remark, and Yuan Ye shrugged and laughed, raising his hand to ruffle Fang Shaoyi's hair. \"Okay, then I won't go to the set to see you.\"

\"Okay,\" Fang Shaoyi said, \"Just go.\"

This conversation was like two kids in love, giving people a headache just listening to them. But before leaving, Yuan Ye really didn't go to see Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi was filming in the village, and these days he was filming indoor scenes. Yuan Ye didn't want anyone to see him, so he dragged his suitcase to the tree and, when no one was looking, crouched down and ran over, taking a few steps and jumping up.

Before he came, he stole a red cloth from the props department. In the play, the two of them often hung red cloth strips on the tree after they fell in love. Before leaving, Yuan Ye had to do the same thing and use the cloth to convey his feelings to someone, being all flirty.

When Fang Shaoyi came over to \"date\" the tree, he would see a small cloth strip fluttering in the wind whenever he looked up. Wouldn't that be nice?

On set, Fang Shaoyi had just finished filming a scene, and the director was giving instructions to the male actor who was about to film next. Fang Shaoyi checked the time and turned to ask Ji Xiaotao, \"Has your Brother Ye left yet?\"

Ji Xiaotao glanced at his phone and replied, \"He should have left by now. Shall I ask him?\"

Fang Shaoyi nodded. The director had just finished giving instructions to the actor, who was about to start shooting his scene. Ji Xiaotao called Yuan Ye but he didn't answer, probably on his way to the airport. So he sent a WeChat message to Yuan Ye: \"Brother Ye, let me know when you arrive at the airport, okay?\"

Although Yuan Ye didn't reply to the message, this often happened, so Ji Xiaotao was already numb.

However, just as Fang Shaoyi's scene was not yet finished, the director called for a stop. The actors looked over, and Ji Xiaotao's eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he gestured for Fang Shaoyi to come over. Fang Shaoyi walked over, and the director said to him, \"Your scenes end here for today. Go take a look quickly.\"

\"What am I supposed to look at?\" Fang Shaoyi asked.

A nearby assistant from some unknown department spoke up, his voice shaking as he said to Fang Shaoyi, \"Fang-laoshi, please go check on Yuan-laoshi quickly. He fell...\"

\"Who fell? Yuan-laoshi?\" Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow. \"Yuan Ye?\"

The assistant nodded and said, \"Yes, Yuan Ye-laoshi.\"

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brow and said, \"That's impossible.\"

Fang Shaoyi's first thought was that it was impossible, so he didn't believe it. Firstly, the time that Yuan Ye should have left had already passed, and he wouldn't be able to catch up to the plane by now. Besides, even if someone did fall, it wouldn't be Yuan Ye, he would just get up immediately and start running. Why would they go to such lengths to find him?

\"What do you mean it's impossible?!\" Ji Xiaotao was exasperated and wanted to shake Fang Shaoyi's head to see what he was thinking. \"Brother, it's true! Brother Ye fell from a tree!\"

Fang Shaoyi's face changed and he immediately ran out. He remembered that Yuan Ye often napped on trees, and if he had fallen asleep and wasn't careful, it wasn't impossible for him to fall. Fang Shaoyi's face turned black. Yuan Ye had never fallen before, and Fang Shaoyi had never worried about it.

When he arrived, Yuan Ye was sitting under a tree wearing a hooded sweatshirt and black jeans, with a backpack on his back. One leg was bent, with his arm resting on his knee and his face buried in his arm, looking at the world with a speechless expression. Someone bent down to talk to him, but Yuan Ye covered half of his face and said, \"Don't worry about me, let's wait for Fang-laoshi to come.\"

He waved his hand and shooed them away, saying, \"Go, do whatever you need to do, don't stay here and watch me. Old Yuan-laoshi's self-esteem has already collapsed, don't trample on it anymore, brothers, go.\"

There weren't many people around him, probably because Yuan Ye had chased them away.

Someone spotted Fang Shaoyi and exclaimed, \"Fang-laoshi is here!\"

As Yuan Ye looked up, he wore a wry smile on his face. Seeing his condition, Fang Shaoyi knew it wasn't too serious, and his complexion was still good, so there was no need to worry. Fang Shaoyi breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to squat beside Yuan Ye, asking him, \"Where did you fall?\"

Yuan Ye pointed to the foot he was stretching out.

Fang Shaoyi untied his shoelaces and took off his shoe with gentle movements, but Yuan Ye still frowned slightly. He sighed and said, \"It's not broken, don't bother looking.\"

Fang Shaoyi touched his ankle and asked, \"Does it hurt?\"

\"I can bear it, it doesn't hurt when you touch it like that.\" Yuan Ye sighed heavily and said, \"I told you it's not broken, just sprained. I haven't sprained my ankle...in thirty years...\"

Fang Shaoyi asked him, \"How did you fall?\"

Yuan Ye's face rested weakly on his arm as he said, \"I don't know, that's an unknown type of movement for me. I don't want to remember, so don't ask.\"

In reality, Fang Shaoyi was quite worried, but seeing that he was okay, he suddenly felt like laughing. However, he had to consider Yuan Ye's dignity, so he held back his laughter. Yuan Ye took off his other shoe, tied the laces of both shoes together, and held them in the middle. He then said to Fang Shaoyi, \"Carry me back, otherwise they'll keep staring at me.\"

As soon as the people around heard this, they scattered and quickly left.

Fang Shaoyi first helped him stand up, then bent down and lifted him up. Yuan Ye lay on his ear and said, \"I'm old, but I can't accept it, is that so bad?\"

His tone was somewhat sad, and Fang Shaoyi was unable to resist a light chuckle. \"Does this mean you can't climb trees anymore?\"

Yuan Ye remained silent, as if a dark cloud had descended upon him.

But it wasn't necessarily because he was too old to climb. It was just a momentary lapse in concentration when he was coming down from the tree, and he missed his footing. In the past, this wouldn't have been a problem - he could have grabbed onto a branch or landed more gracefully. But this time, he didn't anticipate the misstep and ended up stumbling a bit awkwardly.

Walking was definitely out of the question, and the planes had all flown. Fang Shaoyi took him to the hospital for an X-ray, which showed that he hadn't broken any bones, but had injured his tendons and ligaments. It wasn't so serious that he couldn't walk, but he should still rest for the first few days. His foot began to swell at an alarming rate, which was quite scary to look at.

Yuan Ye never imagined that he would need to rest his feet one day. This was a bit too much for the wild monkey to handle, and he didn't even dare to be called by that nickname anymore.

Fang Shaoyi was still wearing his costume, a white shirt and blue pants, with an old pair of leather shoes. He didn't even bother changing his clothes when they went to the hospital, and didn't notice if anyone took pictures. Ji Xiaotao followed behind them and didn't care about these things either. He didn't even wear a hat or a mask, so if someone wanted to take a picture, they could go ahead and do it.

When they got back that night, Fang Shaoyi made an ice pack for him, wrapping ice cubes in a towel and applying it to his feet. Yuan Ye lay there playing on his phone. Fang Shaoyi told him, \"Don't lie down and look at your phone, it's bad for your eyes.\"

\"I'm just replying to a message,\" Yuan Ye said. \"I have to let Feng Leizi and the others know, I stood them up.\"

\"Okay,\" Fang Shaoyi asked him softly, \"Is your foot still hurting?\"

\"It's not hurting,\" Yuan Ye shook his head indifferently. \"It's numb.\"

\"In a couple of days, it will start to hurt again,\" Fang Shaoyi looked at him and said, \"Take good care of yourself, if you don't recover well, you'll keep spraining it.\"

\"I won't,\" Yuan Ye said.

Fang Shaoyi was often injured, and there were many times when he had to rest and recover. In the past, Yuan Ye had always taken care of him, but this was the first time Fang Shaoyi taken care of Yuan Ye. The crew came to visit him, bringing red envelopes and fruit baskets, treating him like a patient. Yuan Ye chased them all away, even the ones with the fruit baskets. It was driving him crazy and Yuan Ye was extremely embarrassed.

Any normal person would think, \"Do you have nothing better to do than to climb trees? Are you crazy?\"

If he hadn't fallen, it would have been fine, but falling was definitely a sign of illness.

There was no bathtub in the bathroom, so Yuan Ye had to wash with one foot on the ground. Fang Shaoyi gave him a stool to sit on and washed him himself. Yuan Ye smiled and said, \"I can wash myself, you don't have to do this.\"

Fang Shaoyi rubbed foam on his head and said, \"I just want to wash your hair for you.\"

\"Well, I don't really need to wash my hair,\" Yuan Ye laughed. \"I don't have much hair anyway. I just wash it along when I wash my face.\"

Fang Shaoyi clicked his tongue and shook Yuan Ye's head, asking him, \"Why do you talk so much?\"

Yuan Ye laughed and let Fang Shaoyi use a spray nozzle to give him a bath. It felt wonderful, and he even started to think about certain things. But with his feet like this, it wasn't very convenient. Turning and twisting his feet was awkward, so he couldn't really do anything.

Fang Shaoyi asked him, \"What are you thinking about?\"

Yuan Ye closed his eyes and laughed freely, \"Can't you see?\"

Fang Shaoyi flicked his head and said, \"Your brain never gives it a rest.\"

It was inevitable that something had happened in the bathroom, and after lying back down, Yuan Ye slept soundly while Fang Shaoyi went back to take a shower.

Although Yuan Ye didn't say anything, there was a hint of sadness in his heart, which Fang Shaoyi understood. For Yuan Ye, falling off a tree and spraining his foot was like a fisherman's son choking on water while living by the sea. The first reaction was laughter, but the second reaction was actually a bit bewildered.

It seemed like he had inexplicably grown old, no matter how much he stumbled or how much was accidental, it probably wouldn't have happened in the past.

When Yuan Ye looked at his own foot and laughed, Fang Shaoyi felt a little heartbroken.

When he came out of the shower, Yuan Ye was sound asleep. Fang Shaoyi turned off the light and lay down next to him. Yuan Ye had already propped up his feet and they were neatly arranged, looking quite obedient.

Fang Shaoyi whispered, \"Are you asleep?\"

To his surprise, Yuan Ye replied, \"No, haha.\"

\"If you're not asleep, why pretend?\" Fang Shaoyi reached over and gently tugged on his ear.

Yuan Ye said, \"I'm savoring the moment just now.\"

Fang Shaoyi laughed and teased him, \"People who don't know might think I starve you and don't let you eat your fill.\"

\"I ate today?\" Yuan Ye turned over and asked, \"What did I eat?\"

Fang Shaoyi had no answer and just smiled, \"Shut up and go to sleep.\"

Yuan Ye let out a soft \"heh\" and closed his eyes in the darkness. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he reached out and gently scratched Fang Shaoyi's scalp.

","published_time":"2024-06-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-05-06T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-06-03T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":618,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":61,"chapter_title":"Chapter 61","content":"

Yuan Ye was not the type of person who wanted to lie in bed all day. On the first night, Yuan Ye managed to stay put, but the next morning, Fang Shaoyi had to remind him several times not to wander around aimlessly. Yuan Ye readily agreed, but as soon as Fang Shaoyi left, he couldn't resist getting up after only half an hour of lying down.

He just couldn't stay still, and lying down was not his thing. So he pulled over a chair to prop up his feet and spent the whole day reading while leaning against the sofa.

When Fang Shaoyi returned in the afternoon, Yuan Ye had already napped on the couch, but woke up and was hopping out of the bathroom on one leg. Yuan Ye had planned to lie in bed and pretend to be obedient before Fang Shaoyi came back. But before he could even hop back to his bed, the door opened.

Clearly, he didn't have time to carry out his plan. So, Yuan Ye just pounced on Fang Shaoyi and clung to him like a boneless creature, saying, \"My foot hurts, carry me on your back.\"

\"Why did you walk around if your foot hurts?\" Fang Shaoyi knew that Yuan Ye was impossible to keep still and didn't expect anything different.

Yuan Ye laughed and said, \"But I need to pee. How can I do that if I don't get up?\"

As he spoke, he hopped on one leg and went behind Fang Shaoyi, wrapped his arm around his neck, and said, \"Carry me.\"

\"Okay,\" said Fang Shaoyi as he lifted him up and placed him on the bed, pointing to his feet.

Yuan Ye obediently lifted his feet and rested them on the edge of the bed, looking up at Fang Shaoyi. \"Brother, I booked a flight for the day after tomorrow. I have to leave then.\"

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brow in concern. \"That's too soon.\"

\"I'll be fine in two more days,\" Yuan Ye replied, not even noticing his ankle. \"They're waiting for me over there, I have to go back. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing.\"

Can Fang Shaoyi really rest assured? But Yuan Ye really had to go. He was supposed to go back yesterday, but this little accident made him stay a few more days. The filming on the other side is about to start, and there are a bunch of things waiting for him on set.

He can't let his personal issues delay everyone's progress. It's not like him, and if he just stays home and rests because of a sprained ankle, it would be a blow to his soul.

Fang Shaoyi took personal leave to send him back to the set, and Yuan Ye couldn't stop him. Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi in disbelief, \"Brother, is it that I haven't been injured much in recent years? And the one time it happens, you become so anxious, even when it's just a small sprain? You're sending me back? On a plane?\"

\"Shut up,\" Fang Shaoyi frowned at him, \"how many more injuries do you want to suffer?\"

\"I really don't need you to send me,\" Yuan Ye earnestly advised, \"It's too much. I'm not even limping now, so what's the point of you sending me?\"

\"You don't have to worry about me,\" Fang Shaoyi covered his mouth with his hand, \"I just want to send you.\"

Helpless, Yuan Ye could only nod and say with a smile, \"Okay, okay.\"

Actually, Yuan Ye's foot injury was not visible to the naked eye, and he was walking completely normally. But Fang Shaoyi still insisted on sending him back and making sure he was settled before leaving. They even received inquiries from people at the airport, asking about Yuan Ye's foot.

Yuan Ye smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.

That day, Fang Shaoyi helped him to the hospital and many people saw it. Someone even took pictures of them at the entrance of the examination room. Yuan Ye didn't mind, but Fang Shaoyi's face was a bit cold and he restrained them from taking more photos.

That night, the news broke that Yuan Ye had a fracture and Fang Shaoyi took him to the hospital for an X-ray. There were several reasons for the fracture, but the most likely one was that they had a car accident on the way to the set. Fang Shaoyi narrowly escaped, but Yuan Ye broke his leg. They didn't bother to look at those online rumors, which were really annoying.

However, they were afraid that their fans would be too worried, so later on, Ji Xiaotao used Yuan Ye's Weibo to post a message saying that his leg was just sprained and not to worry.

There were still many people commenting under Yuan Ye's Weibo post, saying that he deserved it and that he had done too many bad things to not face consequences. These words were like a sharp knife, and his fans immediately jumped to his defense, launching a counterattack against the malicious comments. Passersby and haters also joined in, cursing back and forth at each other.

Later on, Ji Xiaotao deleted all of these disharmonious comments, as they were not worth keeping, whether they were insults or counterattacks. Despite being immersed in this industry for years, Ji Xiaotao still felt a bit uncomfortable when seeing these malicious comments, and he was not calm enough.

At first, he even created a fake account and commented, \"What bad things did Yuan Ye do? Did you see it? If he also has to face consequences, maybe it's because the heavens are blind.\"

After sending the message, he realized he was too idle, what was he talking to these closed-eyed strangers for.

The rumors and gossip were something Yuan Ye was indifferent to. If he paid attention to every single one, his entire later life would be repressed. Why bother?

\"Is your foot okay?\" Feng Leizi asked as soon as he saw him.

\"What do you think?\" Yuan Ye sat in the chair and lifted the foot he had sprained. \"As good as new.\"

\"You recovered pretty quickly,\" Feng Leizi commented.

Yuan Ye just smiled and didn't say anything more about it. He turned his head and started talking about proper business.

In fact, Yuan Ye was just acting. The first two days, it just felt swollen and a little hot and numb. It wasn't until the third or fourth day that it really started to hurt and he couldn't exert any force. But Yuan Ye couldn't stand limping around and was afraid that Fang Shaoyi would worry too much, so he pretended that everything was fine.

But how could Fang Shaoyi not know that he was pretending? When he walked, there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

So when Fang Shaoyi called him at night, he said, \"Elevate your foot, soak it in hot water, and apply heat. Don't be lazy.\"

\"I'm almost all better,\" Yuan Ye said in a relaxed tone, \"I don't feel much pain anymore. You focus on filming and don't worry about me.\"

Fang Shaoyi was silent on the phone for almost ten seconds, and then Yuan Ye's voice rose, \"Hmm?\"

When Fang Shaoyi spoke again, he let out a sigh. His voice carried a hint of compromise and seriousness as he said something that made Yuan Ye's nerves tremble: \"If it were before...I might not have exposed your pretense.\"

This sentence left Yuan Ye speechless for a long time, but eventually he couldn't help but laugh.

Fang Shaoyi's voice was very soft, coming through the phone and into Yuan Ye's ear. He asked, \"What's so funny?\"

Yuan Ye had his arm resting on his forehead and spoke honestly, \"My foot hurts now, so much that I can't sleep.\"

He might as well say it all, there was nothing much about it.

Fang Shaoyi responded with a low \"Mm-hmm\" and then said, \"I know.\"

With his phone in hand, Yuan Ye scratched the edge of it with his fingers. He heard Fang Shaoyi say, \"Do you think I can't tell that you're in pain?\"

Yuan Ye closed his eyes and suddenly felt very comfortable. It was as if the pain had decreased significantly after he spoke about it.

\"You've changed a lot,\" Yuan Ye smiled with his eyes closed and said to Fang Shaoyi on the other end of the phone, \"I still feel a little unaccustomed at times.\"

Fang Shaoyi also laughed and asked him, \"Then should I go back to being like before?\"

\"No,\" Yuan Ye said, \"I really like it.\"

Later, Fang Shaoyi told him, \"If it was before, I could even take a few days off and fly back, and let the later scenes be filmed first. Then, you could pretend not to be in pain and I could pretend to be worried for nothing. We could do all of that.\"

His words made Yuan Ye smile lightly, and Fang Shaoyi continued, \"But it has to be a little different, to make up for these three years, right?\"

Yuan Ye replied, \"Yes.\"

Fang Shaoyi said, \"I can see through your act when you're with me. I've told you this before. So if you want me not to worry, if you want me not to think too much, then you have to say it.\"

His speech was slow, and on such a night, it was soothing to hear, \"If you say you're in pain, then I'll be relieved. If you say you're okay, then I'll be worried all day.\"

At this moment, every word he said was heard and felt by Yuan Ye, who almost immediately laughed and said, \"Whoever isn't in pain is a bastard, I hurt so much I want to die.\"

Yuan Ye really liked him like this, and he was starting to feel a sense of calm in his heart. Change sometimes happens suddenly, but more often it happens gradually and imperceptibly. But no matter what, if it's a positive change, the person experiencing it will definitely have respond with their genuine emotions.

This kind of feedback brings a sense of security and can dispel some of the previous worries, which is all good.

The script on their side, \"Hoarse\", could be considered somewhat of a success. Everything went smoothly, and filming was about to start. Yuan Ye naturally had to go with the crew, as it was stipulated in the contract.

Yang Siran had actually been chosen as the younger brother of the male lead character. One reason was because he already had a suitable image, and the director had seen his performance in Director Jiang's film and thought it was pretty good. Plus, with the recommendation from Yuan Ye's side, as well as Geng Jinwei's methods and money, it wasn't surprising that he was ultimately chosen.

Investing in artistic films wasn't that profitable, and if they didn't win awards or sell foreign rights, they could very well lose money. The company had invested money into it, and Yang Siran was considered to be be brought in through those financial contributions.

However, the director had also carefully chosen him, even holding three auditions. There were three alternative actors, but in the end, he chose Yang Siran.

At the opening ceremony, both Yuan Ye and Yang Siran were present. The crowd was bustling, and Yang Siran stood next to Yuan Ye and quietly helped him block people. Whenever someone came by, he would lightly support Yuan Ye's arm, just in case someone bumped into him, it would be easier to help him.

Yuan Ye smiled and said, \"Thanks, little brother. But you don't have to support me. Your Brother Ye is not that weak.\"

Yang Siran spoke softly and was a little embarrassed. \"I've sprained my foot before, and I couldn't use it for half a year. If someone really bumped into you, you would definitely fall.\"

Yuan Ye glanced at him and sighed, \"Even if you see through it, there's no need to say it out loud, little friend.\"

Yang Siran smiled and followed Yuan Ye like a little brother. In fact, he hadn't changed much from before. The last time he joined Director Jiang's crew, he followed Ji Xiaotao in the same way. Besides learning the ropes as a newcomer and actively helping Ji Xiaotao, he was also looking for a sense of belonging. In a strange place, he would take the initiative to approach those he was closer to.

Yuan Ye didn't mind him, and they were quite familiar with each other. If he wanted to follow along, Yuan Ye would just let him. Following Yuan Ye was an easy thing to do, and his discussions with others were also quite interesting. Listening to him speak was quite enjoyable. Moreover, following him allowed one to learn many things, even if they weren't directly related to filming.

Occasionally, when they had free time, they would chat. Yuan Ye suddenly remembered to ask him a couple of questions: \"If you love music so much, why did you sign up here? Didn't any music company sign you on?\"

Yang Siran nodded and replied, \"Indeed, none did. Besides, I never wanted to be in the spotlight. Writing songs was good enough for me, and it gave me freedom.\"

\"Then why did you end up entering the movie industry?\" Yuan Ye asked him again.

\"President Geng said I was suitable for acting, so I signed up,\" he replied, smiling slightly and lowering his head.

With a sideways glance, Yuan Ye looked at Yang Siran's expression for a few seconds before raising an eyebrow and asking, \"Little brother, do you have someone you like?\"

Yang Siran looked up at him and nodded, \"Yes.\"

Yuan Ye chuckled at him and gave him another glance. Yang Siran asked, \"What are you laughing at?\"

Yuan Ye stared into his eyes and asked directly, \"Don't tell me you like Brother Geng?\"

The question caught Yang Siran off guard and he opened his mouth but couldn't answer. Yuan Ye sat up straight, stretched his arms, and said, \"It's okay, you don't have to say anything.\"

\"No, there's nothing I can't tell you,\" Yang Siran said, lowering his head and pulling on his ear. \"Yes, I like President Geng.\"

Yuan Ye nodded, not intending to chat any further. Small talk was fine, but he didn't want to pry into someone else's privacy.

However, Yang Siran continued with another sentence: \"...I've liked him for many years.\"

","published_time":"2024-06-10T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-05-13T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-06-10T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":640,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":62,"chapter_title":"Chapter 62","content":"

There are countless types of relationships in the world, each with its own uniqueness. Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi were among the luckiest, meeting as teenagers, falling in love, getting married. Although they eventually divorced, their feelings remained, and they never lost the desire to love.

In contrast, Yang Siran was among the most unfortunate. His heart had similarly been captured since he was young, but instead of giving his heart to a person, he gave it to a period of bitter love.

It seemed like only a blink of an eye, and so many years had passed.

\"He...\" Yuan Ye looked at him, hesitating and feeling a bit reluctant to say, \"It must have been tough for you to like Brother Geng, right?\"

Yang Siran's face remained calm, with a faint smile lingering at the corner of his eyes as he shook his head. \"No,\" he said.

Matters of the heart never require persuasion. Every adult has the ability to pay for their own feelings, and as long as they believe it's worth it, any choice is enough. Yuan Ye patted his shoulder and simply said, \"That's fine. As long as you feel good about it.\"

Yang Siran had never spoken to anyone about these things before. He didn't want to, and there was no one to talk to. But on this day, he unexpectedly didn't hide it from Yuan Ye and even spoke with enthusiasm. Yuan Ye hadn't had much contact with Geng Jinwei in recent years, and this person had indeed never been married or publicly had a girlfriend or boyfriend, so he hadn't brought up such matters. He never expected to hear some gossip about Geng Jinwei's relationships in such a strange way on this day.

Love often starts without reason, and when Yang Siran fell for Geng Jinwei, he was only seventeen. Sometimes all it takes is just seeing someone, and you fall in love without needing a reason. It's what they call love at first sight.

At that time, Geng Jinwei lived upstairs from him, and they would occasionally run into each other in the elevator, intentionally or unintentionally. Geng Jinwei seemed to have no idea that there was a young boy living downstairs.

Many times, Yang Siran would stand in front of the tall man with his backpack on and school uniform, and he could see his own reflection in the elevator's shiny surface. But he never dared to look up at Geng Jinwei, always keeping his head down, and he could only see the pair of legs in dress pants behind him.

This was enough to make Yang Siran's heart beat wildly, and his ears would ring so loudly that he couldn't hear anything else. Even the timing and trajectory of their movements were calculated.

When Geng Jinwei reached out to press the elevator button, Yang Siran also reached out as if to press it, lightly touching the back of the man's hand with his fingertips. Then, his fingertips suddenly recoiled as if burned, and the man lowered his head to look at him. Yang Siran felt like his heart couldn't contain itself in his chest.

After that, Geng Jinwei moved away, making it difficult to see him again.

To others, it may seem like a simple and bitter unrequited love, but for someone who has turned these years into a story, it was ten years of waiting and hoping with a heavy heart.

Yuan Ye was a little surprised after hearing all of this. He never expected that Yang Siran was such a romantic.

\"Wow, impressive...\" Yuan Ye stood up and stretched his legs. He couldn't stand for too long or his ankles would start to ache. He turned to look at Yang Siran and asked, \"So how did he end up signing you on? Was it all planned out by you?\"

Yang Siran's eyes lit up as he spoke about it, \"It was really just a coincidence, a chance encounter.\"

It really was just a coincidence. Yang Siran went to the entertainment company to sign a contract. The few songs he wrote weren't worth much, but the contract still had to be signed. While in the building, he saw Geng Jinwei at a glance and held his breath to go say hello.

After Geng Jinwei moved away, Yang Siran never saw him again, but he still remembered him. Geng Jinwei raised an eyebrow and looked at him indifferently. Yang Siran wasn't very fluent in his speech and mentioned that he used to live downstairs from him.

The conversation had a difficult start and there wasn't much to continue afterwards.

Later on, Geng Jinwei unexpectedly asked Yang Siran if he wanted to act in movies. Yang Siran thought for half a minute and then nodded his head in agreement.

His conditions were indeed good and he had a great image. Geng Jinwei gave him a business card, and when Yang Siran took it, he tried hard to conceal his trembling hands. The other party must have thought he was nervous because he was trying to make a move for this purpose.

After hearing this, Yuan Ye laughed and gave him a thumbs up.

Yang Siran rubbed his nose and couldn't help but smile. Yuan Ye then casually asked him, \"Does Brother Geng know about this?\"

\"He doesn't,\" Yang Siran almost immediately replied. He blinked his eyes and seemed a little nervous, saying, \"He doesn't know, so please don't tell him, okay?\"

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows.

Yang Siran lowered his gaze and spoke in a softer tone, \"It's my business if I like someone. Why should I let him know about the past? It's all meaningless. No matter how much I like someone or for how many years, it's ultimately just one-sided. I don't want to use it to manipulate others... it's too scary.\"

Originally, Yuan Ye was just listening to a story, but since Yang Siran seemed eager to speak, he listened on. However, after Yang Siran finished speaking, Yuan Ye turned to look at him and suddenly realized that he had underestimated him before.

His heart was very clear, and he didn't expect him to be so insightful.

Yuan Ye gave him a thumbs up again without saying anything. Then he patted him on the back and lifted his chin, indicating that they should go back.

During their phone call that night, Yuan Ye didn't bring up what Yang Siran had told him to Fang Shaoyi. He wasn't in the habit of gossiping about other people's private matters. They didn't talk on the phone every day either, sometimes their schedules just didn't match up.

Fang Shaoyi asked him, \"Is your foot still hurting?\"

\"A little bit, not too bad,\" Yuan Ye replied.

\"Take care of yourself, otherwise if you keep spraining your ankle every other day, it'll be the death of me,\" Fang Shaoyi's throat was a bit dry, so he took a sip of water to moisten it.

\"That'll be the death of me too, this Yuan Ye-laoshi wouldn't have any dignity left, right?\" Yuan Ye couldn't help but laugh, \"Becoming a limping monkey instead?\"

\"What monkey?\" Fang Shaoyi joked with him on the phone, \"Can you still climb trees?\"

\"Not right now, definitely not. I'm referring to in future,\" Yuan Ye said.

Fang Shaoyi just made a sound of agreement and didn't say much. In fact, after spraining his foot, he couldn't engage in any intense physical activity for a short period of time, let alone climb trees and jump down. But Fang Shaoyi wouldn't tell him that. After all, wouldn't Yuan Ye know it already?

On Director Wei's movie set, Fang Shaoyi had nothing to worry about except for filming. Meanwhile, on Yuan Ye's side, there were constant small issues. After Yuan Ye returned, the two of them hadn't seen each other for over two months due to their busy schedules. On Fang Shaoyi's birthday, Yuan Ye posted on Weibo at the exact time and Fang Shaoyi even reposted it.

Over the phone, Yuan Ye asked him, \"Are you a child, Fang-laoshi? We're going to trend again tomorrow.\"

\"I want to repost it,\" Fang Shaoyi said. \"Do I need to think so much?\"

On his birthday, Yuan Ye didn't fly over to celebrate with him. One reason was that Yuan Ye had things to take care of on his end and couldn't leave. Another reason was that Fang Shaoyi's film would be finished in just two more months. The entire cast and crew had great chemistry, so they could film it more quickly.

Recently, Fang Shaoyi had been filming big productions, so Yuan Ye didn't dare to visit him, fearing that it would disrupt his mood. Anyway, he would be back soon, so Yuan Ye didn't go to the set. They just secretly called each other.

","published_time":"2024-06-17T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-05-20T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-06-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":670,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":63,"chapter_title":"Chapter 63","content":"

\"Yuan Ye-laoshi?\"

The director's assistant came over to talk to Yuan Ye, bending down to call him. It was raining and they were on a break. Yuan Ye was listening to the song Yang Siran had given him with his headphones on.

He heard someone calling him to take off his headphones, then the person said, \"The director wants you to come over. He wants to discuss something with you.\"

\"Sure,\" Yuan Ye handed his phone back to Yang Siran and smiled at the director's assistant. \"Next time, just give me a call. You don't have to keep running back and forth like this.\"

The director's assistant scratched his head and laughed. \"You still have to be able to hear me though.\"

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and took out his phone, seeing the missed call on it. He chuckled, \"Ha, I really didn't hear you.\"

On Director Lin Feng's set, it was a rule that all phones must be on silent, and everyone communicated through walkie-talkie earphones. No one was allowed to speak loudly on set, and the entire place was quiet.

This wasn't just for this movie, but for all of Lin Feng's previous productions. He didn't like it when the set was as noisy as a market. And for this particular film, where the main character was mute, it was even more important to maintain silence.

\"What's up, Director Feng?\" Yuan Ye arrived at the director's tent, and someone made room for him to sit next to the director. \"What's going on?\"

Lin Feng called out to him, \"Little Yuan.\"

\"Yeah?\" Yuan Ye nodded. \"What's up?\"

Lin Feng asked him, \"Do you think it's feasible to shoot these two scenes on a rainy day?\"

Yuan Ye shook his head directly, \"No, it's not possible.\"

The producer frowned beside them, looking worried. \"Yuan-laoshi, the weather conditions are the issue. We have to leave next week, and there are nearly ten scenes that require clear skies that we haven't filmed. If it doesn't clear up later, we'll be in trouble.\"

It's been raining a lot lately, as it's the local rainy season. There's nothing anyone could do about it. Yuan Ye asked the director, \"What does the forecast say? Have you checked?\"

\"Two clear days next week, the rest will be rainy,\" Lin Feng sighed and ran his hand through his hair, looking troubled.

\"When do we leave?\" Yuan Ye asked again.

\"Next Wednesday,\" the producer interjected, adding, \"It's too tight on time.\"

Yuan Ye lowered his head and thought for a while before looking up at the director. \"What are you thinking, Brother Feng?\"

Lin Feng furrowed his brow and muttered under his breath before saying, \"All of these damn scenes have been rainy. The atmosphere is so heavy it feels like we're about to sink a ship. What the hell is this?\"

Yuan Ye sighed in agreement. What was the point of him saying anything? The director knew they couldn't change it into a rainy scene. Since they arrived, they had hardly been able to film a few scenes on sunny days, and even those did not pass.

The director had already made up his mind and called Yuan Ye over just to hear his opinion. If Yuan Ye agreed to change it, maybe the director could be persuaded to loosen up a bit.

Before coming, they had already checked the weather forecast with the local meteorological bureau for this period of time. They said that sunny days would account for more than half of the time, and they would film sunny and rainy scenes separately.

But what happened after they arrived? There were hardly any sunny days. There was nothing anyone could do about it. Weather forecasts were just rough estimates, and they were never that accurate. The island was originally rented for forty days, but after the delays, they had already added another ten days. They must leave by next Wednesday as it has already been rented out to others after that.

The conditions were not ideal, but this script was painstakingly crafted by Yuan Ye himself. It's like his own child, and he wouldn't act like someone who could take the easy way out and let the director or producer breathe a sigh of relief.

In the end, the director shook his head and said, \"There's no way to change it. There's been too much rain, and even the tone has shifted.\"

They are currently filming the relatively easy part of the entire film, where the two main characters, the protagonist and his brother, are on the island. There's a sense of isolation and ease, which allows the audience to relax. Originally, they were supposed to shoot with a lot of sunshine, and the director chose this location because of its beauty, a lively little island. However, most of the scenes have been filmed in the rain, which made the effect somewhat oppressive.

The producer said, \"Gentlemen, let's be realistic. The conditions don't allow for it. Can we lower our expectations a bit?\"

The director and Yuan Ye remained silent, and even the many staff members in the studio didn't say a word. Eventually, Yuan Ye cleared his throat and spoke up, \"My recommendation is that we can't make any more changes, but the conditions are indeed limited. You can just take my opinion into consideration. If you want to make changes, let me know, and we'll have to adjust the scene.\"

The director remained expressionless, but the producer's face didn't look good. Yuan Ye didn't pay much attention to him and continued, \"I have a proposal, but I'm not sure if it's feasible. Let's shoot two scenes of the rainy landscape to be safe. When it's sunny, we can shoot some wide shots. If we don't have time for the detailed shots, we can go back to Qingdao to shoot them and then combine them later. We'll see how it looks during the editing.\"

This was the best solution Yuan Ye could offer, and it was one that he could accept. Changing the entire film to a rain scene would completely alter the tone, and it would be a mess.

The day after, after he exited, he overheard the producer say in the tent, \"Too naive. Young screenwriters all have this problem.\"

Without stopping his movements, he just shook his head and smiled.

In fact, the producer had called him over today to find someone on his side to help persuade the director. However, after the person arrived, he didn't say a single good thing. The producer was not very happy about it, but he could understand.

Their positions and perspectives were different. The producer used his left brain to work, calculating money and operations. The entire crew relied on him to function. The director and screenwriter used their right brain to live, focusing on emotions and pursuing artistic effects. No one can say who is right or wrong.

On Yuan Ye's side, it was raining heavily, and it was no different on Fang Shaoyi's side. After several heavy rains, the whole village became muddy. Fang Shaoyi came back wearing a raincoat and rain boots, drank a bowl of ginger water, and said to Yuan Ye on the phone, \"Be careful not to catch a cold.\"

\"I'm fine. I'm tough, you know that,\" Yuan Ye laughed and replied.

\"Mm,\" Fang Shaoyi agreed. Between the two of them, Fang Shaoyi was the one who was more prone to illness, with a weaker constitution than Yuan Ye.

\"Take care of yourself,\" Yuan Ye asked him softly, \"Has your shoulder been hurting these past few days? It's too damp.\"

It had been too long since they last saw each other, and Yuan Ye's voice sounded soft and gentle. Fang Shaoyi missed him and lowered his voice on the phone, \"A little bit.\"

Yuan Ye smiled and said to him, \"Let Xiaotao give you a massage using the massage device.\"

Old injuries had left him with this problem, causing him to suffer on rainy and cloudy days. Before, Yuan Ye only worried about Fang Shaoyi when it rained, but now he couldn't avoid it himself. When it got damp, his ankle would hurt. Yuan Ye sat cross-legged on the bed, unconsciously pinching his ankle with his hand. He heard Fang Shaoyi say, \"I don't need him.\"

Yuan Ye looked up and smiled, deliberately asking him, 'Then who do you need?'

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything, only said, 'Who knows.'

Yuan Ye laughed completely, sitting there shrugging and laughing endlessly. After laughing, he softly coaxed, \"I'll massage you, not just your shoulders, I'll massage wherever you want.\"

What a sweet talker.

To outsiders, these two men in their thirties seemed like mature and decisive individuals. Little did they know that in private, they were so affectionate towards each other. Fang Shaoyi particularly enjoyed this dynamic and after not seeing each other for a while, he was breathing a little heavier and asked Yuan Ye, \"Where else do you want?\"

\"I want a lot,\" Yuan Ye coughed lightly, suddenly lying down and taking a deep breath. He dragged his voice and said, \"If you keep teasing me, you'll be responsible for the consequences.\"

Fang Shaoyi asked him again, \"How will I be responsible?\"

Yuan Ye covered his face with his arm and gritted his teeth, \"When I see you, you won't be able to close your eyes all night. F*cking is enough, just f*ck me hard.\"

Finally, Fang Shaoyi stopped teasing him and laughed, saying, \"You only ever have this on your mind.\"

\"Okay, okay,\" Yuan Ye nodded on the phone and said, \"It's all in my head, your mind must be so clean.\"

The two of their ages combined was over seventy years, yet they were exchanging such messy words. Halfway through their conversation, Fang Shaoyi's doorbell rang. He told Yuan Ye, \"Wait a moment.\"

Yuan Ye jokingly asked him, \"Let me see who the little devil is.\"

Fang Shaoyi went to open the door, thinking it was probably Ji Xiaotao who had forgotten his room key. But it turned out to be someone else.

Standing outside the door was a young boy, in the film he was someone from the same village. He was only twenty-one years old. Fang Shaoyi didn't expect it to be him, so he kept his hand on the doorknob and asked, \"Is there something you need?\"

The boy raised the box he was carrying, his voice barely audible and hesitating for a moment before asking softly, \"Shaoyi-laoshi, I heard you have an old injury on your shoulder, so I brought this for you. My dad often feels uncomfortable, and I help him with this. Can, can I help you with a massage?\"

Fang Shaoyi held his phone tightly in his hand, and on the other end of the line, Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and chuckled. It really was a little devil?

Fang Shaoyi didn't respond, and the boy's face turned red, feeling a bit embarrassed. Fang Shaoyi asked him, \"Did your agent send you here?\"

The boy was a little surprised and looked up at Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi said, \"You can go back now, I appreciate the gesture. Give the item to my assistant tomorrow, I won't accept it today.\"

Fang Shaoyi raised his hand and shook his phone, saying, \"My family controls me strictly, please understand.\"

As he moved, his phone lit up. The call status on the screen made the boy extremely embarrassed. He nodded and said \"goodnight,\" bowed, and then turned and left.

After closing the door, Fang Shaoyi heard Yuan Ye on the other side make a sound of disapproval. \"Shaoyi-laoshi, why didn't you accept? At least it was a gesture of goodwill.\"

Fang Shaoyi was also a bit embarrassed, having let Yuan Ye encounter this. Yuan Ye was intentionally teasing him now. Fang Shaoyi asked, \"Should I call him back? Have him massage for me?\"

Yuan Ye chuckled lightly and said, \"Just try it if you dare.\"

Fang Shaoyi indeed did not dare. How many nights of punishment would he have to endure?

That night, both of them had nothing to do and were thinking about each other, so they talked on the phone for a long time until Fang Shaoyi fell asleep. As his breathing gradually became steady, Yuan Ye softly asked, \"Are you asleep, baby?\"

There was no response on the other end, so Yuan Ye kissed the phone before hanging up.

Having not seen Fang Shaoyi for such a long time, Yuan Ye couldn't help but worry about him. He didn't know where this feeling came from. In theory, Fang Shaoyi didn't need him to worry about him because no one in Director Wei's crew would offend him, and Ji Xiaotao was by his side, so everything was stable.

But lately, Yuan Ye couldn't shake the feeling of unease in his heart. He regretted not going to see Fang Shaoyi on his birthday. They were in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, and even after divorcing and getting back together, their emotions were still intense. Yuan Ye couldn't stop thinking about him, especially since they hadn't seen each other in a while.

This feeling of unease reached its peak two days later when it rained heavily. The entire small island where the set was located was covered by dark clouds, making it hard to breathe.

In the end, Lin Feng didn't agree to change the rain scene and decided to film the wide shots on a sunny day and figure out a solution for the close-ups later. If possible, they would come back and shoot a few more scenes on this side after finishing everything.

The rain was so heavy that nothing could be filmed, and even the machines were at risk of getting wet. Yuan Ye felt stuffy inside, and he wanted to go out for some fresh air. He put on a raincoat and decided to take a walk. As he passed by Yang Siran's room, he casually knocked on the door and continued walking without stopping.

Yang Siran poked his head out and looked both ways. When he saw Yuan Ye, he called out, \"Brother Yuan Ye!\"

Yuan Ye turned around and asked, \"I'm going out for a walk, want to come?\"

\"Sure, wait for me!\" Yang Siran went back into his room to grab his raincoat and his assistant shouted at him, \"Where are you going in this heavy rain?\"

Yang Siran smiled and replied, \"I'm going for a walk with Brother Yuan Ye, it's too stuffy in here.\"

After he finished speaking, he put on his raincoat and went out to chase Yuan Ye, ignoring the assistant's roar inside the house. In fact, in such heavy rain, he felt more carefree. He didn't need to cover or shield himself from the rain. Walking in the rain with his raincoat on gave him a sense of liberation.

Yuan Ye sat on a high rock by the seaside, and Yang Siran sat with him. Looking ahead, there was endless sea water under the rain curtain, giving a feeling of vastness and grandeur.

Writers love this kind of scene, but to others, it may seem crazy.

Being drenched in the rain and feeling the wind blowing, the unsettled and inexplicable thoughts in his mind dissipated a lot. Yuan Ye shouted to Yang Siran, \"Shall we go back?\"

\"If you haven't had enough, let's sit for a while longer!\" Yang Siran shouted back, \"It feels quite liberating!\"

Every day, Yuan Ye brought along this little brother and had gotten used to it. Occasionally, he would joke with him about Geng Jinwei's affairs. Every time he talked about this with Yang Siran, he seemed a little happy. He really liked him, and his pride couldn't be hidden when he mentioned him.

On their way back, Yuan Ye said to him, \"Take a shower when we get back. If you catch a cold, I'll be in trouble.\"

\"What does it have to do with you?\" Yang Siran shook his head. \"I also wanted to go out for a walk. It's too stuffy in the room.\"

Yang Siran's assistant heard their voices and opened the door. He saw the two of them and grabbed Yuan Ye's arm, shouting, \"Brother Ye!\"

Yuan Ye was caught off guard and asked him stupidly, \"What's going on?\"

The assistant pulled him into the room and shut the door, his face twisted in urgency. \"Did you forget your phone? Xiaotao has been going crazy trying to find you! He called me and I was just about to go look for you guys!\"

Yuan Ye's heart sank almost immediately, his nerves on edge as he reached into his pocket and realized he had indeed forgotten his phone. Yang Siran furrowed his brow and asked the assistant, \"What's going on?\"

The assistant looked at him and then at Yuan Ye, saying only, \"Xiaotao didn't say, but it sounded urgent.\"

\"Okay, I got it,\" Yuan Ye said before turning and leaving.

Some instincts are subconscious, and very accurate. As he opened the door, Yuan Ye could only think of one thing: why the hell didn't he just call him if he was so uneasy?

He picked up his phone and dialed Ji Xiaotao's number, but it kept ringing without an answer. Yuan Ye's fingertips were trembling and his lips were turning white. After two minutes of trying, Ji Xiaotao was still on the line. Although there should have been a notification for incoming calls, he remained on the phone.

After hanging up, Yuan Ye sent him a message: \"Reply, immediately.\"

During the minute that he waited for the call, Yuan Ye had already changed his clothes and prepared his ID, passport, and wallet. By the time the call came, he was ready to leave at any moment.

He answered the phone with a simple \"Mm.\"

Ji Xiaotao's voice came through the phone, and from the sound of it, he had been smoking and was almost hoarse. He called out \"Brother Ye.\"

Yuan Ye closed his eyes and let out a sound of agreement.

\"Can you come back now?\" Ji Xiaotao's voice was almost entirely made up of gasps. \"My brother...\"

His words were hesitant, and Yuan Ye interrupted him, \"What's happened to him, how bad is it, and where is he now? Tell me everything in one breath, don't make me ask again.\"

Ji Xiaotao hesitated for a moment before responding, \"The prop car had a blowout.\"

As soon as those words left his mouth, Yuan Ye's eyelids trembled and he stopped breathing for a few seconds. Ji Xiaotao continued, \"The car lost control and flipped over, my brother was trapped underneath. He's still in the emergency room and we don't know his condition yet. They took him to the county hospital nearby, but he may need to be transferred later. The production team has blocked all news, and there's no information leaking out.\"

After a few seconds, Yuan Ye asked him, \"Before they took him away, what injuries could you see?\"

\"Head, shoulders, steel bars...through the chest,\" replied Ji Xiaotao in his hoarse voice.

\"I'll be right back,\" Yuan Ye said with closed eyes, his lips trembling but his voice sounding calm. \"Hang in there, Tao.\"

Ji Xiaotao immediately choked up and couldn't speak.

Before hanging up, Yuan Ye called out to him again, knowing what the answer would be but still asking, \"Is he still conscious?\"

Ji Xiaotao said, \"...no.\"

","published_time":"2024-06-24T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-05-27T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-06-24T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":707,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":64,"chapter_title":"Chapter 64","content":"

It was thirty hours later when Yuan Ye's plane finally landed. Due to the local thunderstorm, all flights had been grounded, and no matter what Yuan Ye tried, he couldn't leave.

On the phone, Ji Xiaotao spoke in a dry tone, \"...Brother Yuan, don't worry.\"

Yuan Ye responded with a simple \"Mm\" and said, \"Call me immediately if anything comes up.\"

\"Don't worry, Brother Ye,\" Ji Xiaotao said.

Yuan Ye's voice was hoarse, but it remained calm and steady. Ji Xiaotao wanted to keep talking to him, as if talking to him would bring peace to his mind.

At the beginning, besides the crew, there was only Ji Xiaotao in the hospital, handling everything on his own. He was able to hold up well, but no matter how strong he appeared, he was also anxious and scared. The only two people he could truly rely on were Geng Jinwei and Yuan Ye.

However, both of them were not present. But listening to their calmness on the phone, it was like as long as they were not worried, nothing major would happen. Ji Xiaotao was willing to believe that the worst scenario would not happen, and he could handle everything else.

Geng Jinwei arrived in the middle of the night on the first day, and by the time Ji Xiaotao saw him, his throat was already too hoarse to speak. Geng Jinwei's face was as still as a dead pond, and his eyes swept through the hospital corridor like a knife, cutting across the faces of everyone. He didn't respond to any greetings, and went straight to the set director, grabbing his hair and forcing him to look up before punching him twice in the chest with deadly force.

\"President Geng, President Geng...\" No one dared to intervene or try to stop him. Ji Xiaotao even felt a twisted sense of pleasure as each punch from Geng Jinwei brought him satisfaction. He leaned against the opposite wall, coldly watching, watching him keep hitting as though he wouldn't stop until the other man was dead.

Fang Shaoyi's fate was uncertain at the moment. As long as he was alive, everything would be fine. But if something really happened to him, no one would be safe. The driver of the set's car would be the first to go, and even the set director wouldn't be able to escape.

The car that was carrying the dismantled bridge debris was going too fast, and when it suddenly blew a tire at a turn, the whole car lost control and crashed out. Two houses collapsed, but luckily Fang Shaoyi and two other actors were not too close to the roadside, otherwise they might not even need to be sent to the hospital.

With such a big incident, almost all the important members of the crew were present, and the small area in front of the emergency room was crowded with people. Director Wei must have been there too, looking old and haggard.

Later, he went over and stopped Geng Jinwei, who had bloodshot eyes, and shook his head silently.

Geng Jinwei no longer cared about saving face for anyone. He stopped only because he couldn't kill the man, and for no other reason.

Afterwards, Geng Jinwei walked over and wrapped his arm around Ji Xiaotao, giving him a firm pat on the back. Ji Xiaotao's lips were split in several places, and his voice trembled as he spoke to Geng Jinwei: \"Brother Geng, I...I'm really scared.\"

Geng Jinwei let go of him and said in a deep voice, \"It's okay, don't be afraid.\"

Yuan Ye told Ji Xiaotao to inform him immediately if anything happened, and he kept his phone in his hand at all times. Even during the few hours on the plane, Yuan Ye never put down his phone. He was afraid that Ji Xiaotao wouldn't be able to find him, but he had never been so afraid of a phone call before.

At this moment, receiving a phone call may not be a good thing. Yuan Ye hadn't even thought about how he would react if the phone really did ring. But fortunately, the first call he made after getting off the plane was to Ji Xiaotao, who immediately said, \"Don't worry, Brother Ye, things are stable for now.\"

\"Stable for now\" may only be temporary, but for Yuan Ye, it was enough. He told Ji Xiaotao, \"I still need two more hours.\"

\"Don't worry, it'll be fine,\" Ji Xiaotao said.

There were already people waiting outside the airport, and Yuan Ye headed straight to the county hospital. When he arrived, there weren't as many people there anymore. Geng Jinwei had chased them away, leaving only six people with pale faces and a grim expression.

Yuan Ye had run upstairs, he didn't have the mood to wait for the elevator. He nodded at the director and his team, and Ji Xiaotao had already walked over to him and said, \"Don't worry, Brother Ye. The doctor just said that he's still stable now.\"

But Ye Yuan was still panting and didn't listen to him. He asked directly, \"Is he still bleeding?\"

Ji Xiaotao nodded, \"Yes. The doctor also asked if we should transfer him to another hospital.\"

\"Transfer.\" Ye Yuan didn't even hesitate to say it, then looked at Geng Jinwei, \"We have to transfer, right, Brother Geng?\"

On this point, he and Geng Jinwei had the same idea. In an emergency situation, he had to be sent to a small hospital for first aid and then transferred to a larger hospital after stabilization. But the hospital still wouldn't release the patient now, as the risk of transferring was too high. They were recommended to wait a little longer.

Over the call, Yuan Ye had already learned about Fang Shaoyi's injuries. His collarbone was broken, a steel bar had pierced his right chest and punctured his lower right lung. Experts were brought in from the provincial hospital to perform surgery and repair the damage, but the results were not ideal. As for the injury on his head, it was the least severe, requiring only five stitches. The coma he experienced was likely due to a concussion.

Upon hearing this news, Yuan Ye breathed a heavy sigh of relief. With so many vital organs in the chest cavity, the phrase \"steel bar piercing the chest\" caused him to hold his breath for a few seconds. If the heart or arteries had been injured, it would have been unthinkable.

However, this did not mean that a lung injury was not life-threatening. It was just that, compared to other organs, it allowed Yuan Ye to breathe a little easier.

\"Director,\" Yuan Ye walked over and spoke softly to the director and the others, \"Let's not waste any words. I have only one request: the news must be kept under wraps. Not a single word can be leaked.\"

The producer chimed in, \"Don't worry about that, Little Yuan. Nothing will be said from the crew.\"

Director Wei squeezed Yuan Ye's hand, but said nothing. His palm was cold, and Yuan Ye knew that the director was not any better off than anyone else. To him, Fang Shaoyi was like a son, and he was the one who pulled Fang Shaoyi into this film to save the day. Now that something had gone wrong, the director was undoubtedly the most upset.

Yuan Ye comforted him, \"Everything will work out. He will be fine, and you should go back and rest.\"

Director Wei shook his head and sat motionless in his chair.

Yuan Ye was too calm, almost inhumanly so. Even when Geng Jinwei arrived and immediately started throwing punches, Yuan Ye remained level-headed. His eyes were fixed on the door to the intensive care unit, which was the only one in the hospital. It was a shabby place, lacking even a separate sterile room. Several critically ill patients were crammed inside.

Fang Shaoyi had yet to wake up, and every doctor who emerged from the ICU wore the same expression and gave the same answer. Yuan Ye eventually stopped asking.

But this couldn't go on forever. It had been over thirty hours, and Fang Shaoyi still hadn't opened his eyes. The blood in his drainage tube continued to flow. A superior hospital had been contacted, and an ambulance was waiting outside. Yuan Ye and Geng Jinwei were of the same mind: they couldn't wait any longer. They had to transfer Fang Shaoyi to another hospital immediately.

The form was brought over by a young doctor, who requested the family's signature. Yuan Ye stood up and reached out to take it. The doctor hesitated for a moment, but Yuan Ye said, \"Give it to me.\"

The doctor handed it over, and Yuan Ye quickly wrote his name in the name field. But when he got to the \"relationship with the patient\" section, Yuan Ye's hand began to shake as if he had been stabbed in the eye.

The doctor had been watching him the whole time and now asked tentatively, \"You and the patient are no longer spouses, right?\"

Yuan Ye had been awake for dozens of hours, and his eyes were already red. He looked straight at the doctor, a little intimidating, but also strangely pitiful. The doctor silently took the form from his hand and turned to hand it to Geng Jinwei. Geng Jinwei took the document and glanced at Yuan Ye before signing his name.

From the moment he received the phone call, Yuan Ye had remained calm and composed. He spoke and handled everything rationally, as if he believed it was just a small matter and there was no need to panic.

But this transfer document seemed to shatter Yuan Ye's composure, causing his hands to tremble uncontrollably.

\"Brother Ye...\" Ji Xiaotao called out to him.

Yuan Ye snapped out of his daze, looked at him, and then stiffly made his way to the stairwell. He reached into his pocket, searching for a cigarette, but found none.

Leaning against the wall, Yuan Ye slowly crouched down, his arms covering his head as he curled up into a defensive posture against the world.

Lying inside was Fang Shaoyi, the lover that Yuan Ye had loved for eighteen years.

If he had even a headache or fever, Yuan Ye would already make a big deal out of it. But now he was unconscious in the intensive care unit with a fever that wouldn't go down even at forty degrees Celsius. He had various tubes and drainage pipes sticking out of his body, constantly drawing blood.

With Fang Shaoyi lying there like this, Yuan Ye couldn't even sign for him. The people present, Geng Jinwei, Ji Xiaotao, and even the director, all had more authority to sign than him. What could Yuan Ye write in the \"relationship with the patient\" section? Ex-husband? Friend?

It was too ridiculous, too cruel.

The ambulance rushed through the green lanes all the way to the city, and when the stretcher was being taken to the emergency room, a young doctor pulled the blanket over the face of the person on the stretcher.

The hospital was bustling with people, and Fang Shaoyi's face had to be hidden from view. Even Yuan Ye and Ji Xiaotao covered their faces. The doctor only meant well.

However, Yuan Ye didn't even have time to react before the doctor covered Fang Shaoyi's face, and he immediately uncovered it and used his own coat to cover him instead. A white sheet over his face was too harsh on the eyes. Fang Shaoyi's face had lost all color, and it wouldn't do to cover him with white again.

The patient had been transferred and his vital signs were stable on the way here, which was somewhat reassuring. Before the stretcher was pushed in, Yuan Ye ignored the doctor's objections and leaned in to touch Fang Shaoyi's face, his eyelids trembling and his eyelashes brushing against Fang Shaoyi's face.

Ji Xiaotao's nose suddenly felt sour, and he turned his head to wipe his eyes.

That day, Yuan Ye whispered in Fang Shaoyi's ear, \"I'm giving you all the light I have left... I have no more light.\"

","published_time":"2024-07-01T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-06-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-07-01T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":735,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":65,"chapter_title":"Chapter 65","content":"

Moving from one hospital's ICU to another sterile ICU is no different to outsiders, as they cannot see or touch anything. Ji Xiaotao asked why their hospital didn't have glass windows, but no one paid attention to him.

At night, there couldn't be too many people in the corridor of the intensive care unit. Eventually, only Yuan Ye was left. The others found a place to stay or went back to sleep, but Yuan Ye couldn't leave for a moment, and no one asked him to go. Lin Feng called to ask about the situation, and Yuan Ye said it was okay, nothing serious.

Before leaving, he briefly explained the situation to the director and mentioned that he might not be able to continue with the rest of the work. Lin Feng didn't say anything and urged him to go back, assuring him that he didn't need to worry about anything here. Yuan Ye could still call Feng Leizi to go over and keep an eye on the script. He calmly delegated all his tasks.

In the corridor of the ICU, Yuan Ye stood still or paced back and forth. If these scenes were captured in a time-lapse manner, they would look just like in a movie, with each frame capturing a different position and posture. The desolation and bleakness were palpable. There were two medical staff in the ward who occasionally came out.

Yuan Ye asked, \"Has he woken up?\"

After the other person shook their head, he asked again, \"Is he still bleeding?\"

The other person said, \"Just a little.\"

Yuan Ye nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

At half past two in the morning, one of the nurses came out and Yuan Ye saw him walking over from the other side of the corridor. He walked quietly, without making a sound. The nurse had a smile on his face and said to him, \"The patient is awake.\"

Yuan Ye closed his eyes and nodded. Then he nodded again, looked at the time on his phone, and spoke softly, afraid to speak too loudly, \"Can he speak?\"

\"He hasn't spoken,\" the other person said, \"but his spirit is good.\"

Yuan Ye asked, \"Has the fever gone down?\"

The nurse shook his head.

Yuan Ye said, \"I understand, thank you.\"

The other person waved his hand and went back in.

Leaning against the wall, Yuan Ye looked up and wondered if he was awake. He couldn't tell if his mind was clear, or even what he was thinking. If he could sigh, he would have sighed and thought about what would happen next.

In fact, Fang Shaoyi had not woken up for even ten minutes. By the time the nurse came out and put on a sterile suit to go back in, he had already closed his eyes again.

Visiting hours in the ICU were only once in the morning and once in the evening at six o'clock. Geng Jinwei and Ji Xiaotao had already arrived.

Only one person could go in, so Yuan Ye took out everything in his pocket and gave it to Ji Xiaotao. He went to the bathroom to freshen up and even washed his hair. He put on a sterile suit and followed Ji Xiaotao inside. The nurse said the patient was still sleeping, and Yuan Ye nodded with his mask on, saying, \"It's okay, I just want to take a look.\"

There was a chair by the bed, and Yuan Ye sat down. The monitoring equipment in the ward occasionally made a \"beep\" sound, which made people feel uncomfortable for some reason.

Perhaps sensing something, Fang Shaoyi slowly opened his eyes as soon as Yuan Ye sat down. He still had the oxygen mask attached to his face, which made his cheekbones look high and less handsome. Yuan Ye just looked at him, and the two of them locked eyes, seeing into each other's hearts through their eyes. Yuan Ye suddenly smiled at Fang Shaoyi.

Fang Shaoyi still looked at him, and his smile seemed a bit difficult. Yuan Ye leaned in closer, not touching him, and took a long breath before smiling with a hoarse voice and with his eyes red, saying, \"...You scared me to death.\"

Fang Shaoyi was still in a critical condition. As long as his high fever persisted, anything could happen, especially since his bleeding had not stopped. When the experts consulted later, they would have to study his current situation and find the source of the bleeding. If they couldn't stop it, they would have to open his chest again.

It was all very troublesome, but it wasn't to the point that he could only lie there and breathe. He couldn't speak because it was inconvenient with the oxygen mask, but he could still move.

Fang Shaoyi reached out his hand, which still had an IV drip attached. Yuan Ye subconsciously reached out his hand, but hesitated for a moment, unsure if he could touch him. The nurse whispered from behind, \"It's okay, I'll wipe him down later.\"

It was true that they needed to be in sterile isolation to avoid infection, but did it really mean that they couldn't even touch hands? Yuan Ye knew he was being overly nervous and laughed at himself. He then bent down and took off his mask, allowing Fang Shaoyi's hand to touch his face.

\"Do I look thinner?\" Yuan Ye asked.

Fang Shaoyi lightly pinched his face in response.

\"I'm definitely thinner,\" Yuan Ye continued, \"I couldn't even keep five pounds. I ate every bite myself, and in just two days, you scared off a few pounds.\"

Fang Shaoyi's hand slid lightly over his head, touching his hair, then moved down to his neck and collarbone.

Yuan Ye grabbed his hand and gave it a kiss on his palm. As Fang Shaoyi touched his face, he felt a bit of moisture and used his fingertips to search for Yuan Ye's eyes, wiping away the fear, anxiety, and despair.

In just half a day, they only had this brief moment to visit each other. Ten minutes passed in a flash, and before Yuan Ye left, he touched his index and middle fingers to his own lips and pressed them onto Fang Shaoyi's forehead.

Fang Shaoyi looked into his eyes, and Yuan Ye sighed, \"You need to lower your fever quickly. If you don't, you'll have to stay here all the time, and you won't be able to see me. If you secretly cry from missing me in here, I wouldn't even know.\"

Fang Shaoyi's eyes held a hint of amusement as he blinked.

Suddenly, Yuan Ye turned back at the door and stood by the bed, saying, \"I feel wronged.\"

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow.

\"I can't f*cking sign for you,\" Yuan Ye said. \"The doctor won't let me, so Brother Geng was the one who signed. When you're awake, think about what to do about this, you were the one who made me sign it back then. How you made me sign it in the past, you better let me be able to sign it again now. Don't you know how to write my name? Only you know, and only you can. You can do it again, I don't know how to.\"

Yuan Ye finished speaking and turned to leave. Fang Shaoyi watched him until he was gone.

Yuan Ye told the nurse, \"Wipe his hands and face for him. Thank you for your hard work.\"

The nurse shook her head and said, \"It's my duty.\"

Geng Jinwei asked him, \"How is he doing?\"

Yuan Ye smiled and nodded, \"He's doing well.\"

Whenever anyone asked Yuan Ye, he always said the same thing, \"He's doing well.\"

Was he really well? Yuan Ye couldn't even breathe when he saw Fang Shaoyi at first. He wanted to take off his own oxygen mask and put it on himself.

Fang Shaoyi's lungs were injured, and even breathing was a struggle. He had lost so much blood, if his condition had really been better, he wouldn't still be wearing that thing, and he wouldn't have only woken up in the middle of the night yesterday. His breathing was so weak that it was almost non-existent.

Just a few days ago, he was so handsome and full of life in the shoots, but now he lay there unable to say a word.

With a spoilt tone, Yuan Ye told Fang Shaoyi that he couldn't sign the divorce papers and pushed the responsibility onto him, acting like a rogue and making it seem like Fang Shaoyi owed him a favor. Keeping things to oneself can be unbearable, but speaking out can also be painful. And what if Fang Shaoyi couldn't fulfill this debt? If he didn't get better, how would he repay it?

Fang Shaoyi's parents arrived in the morning. Ji Xiaotao hadn't informed them right away. He wanted to wait until things were a bit more stable on Fang Shaoyi's end before telling them. He was afraid.

It was Yuan Ye who called them yesterday after he arrived. This was not something that could wait. No one was more afraid of something happening to Fang Shaoyi than Ji Xiaotao, but no one had the right to keep his parents in the dark. What if something did happen? What if they weren't allowed to come and see for themselves?

After visiting the hospital, Yuan Ye had called them to update on the situation. Now that he saw them arrive, he walked over and hugged Fang Shaoyi's mother before shaking Fang Han's hand and saying, \"Dad, Mom, everything's fine. Once his fever goes down, he can be transferred to a regular room. Don't worry.\"

Fang Han nodded, his voice still as steady and powerful as ever, but his eyes were clearly red with emotion. \"I'm not worried. What's a small injury on a film set? I've 'died' a few times over the years and I'm still alive, aren't I?\"

\"Yes,\" Yuan Ye said, \"he's just like you in all aspects, Dad.\"

Geng Jinwei, Xiaotao, the director, and the producer were all present. Fang Han, with his deep and commanding voice, asked, \"What exactly happened? Where did the steel bars come from? You used steel bars in the film?\"

\"Scrap metal, from dismantling a bridge,\" replied Ji Xiaotao. \"We needed to demolish a Japanese bridge for the film, and after filming, we had to remove the debris. The truck carrying the scrap metal had a blown tire.\"

\"How did the tire blow?\" Fang Han's eyebrows furrowed into a knot as he stared at the producer. \"Tell me the truth, even if you don't, I'll investigate. Was this an accident?\"

\"It really was an accident.\" The producer had been worried sick these past few days, and his hair was turning white. He looked at Fang Han earnestly and said, \"Mr. Fang, the facts are right in front of us. It may sound ridiculous to say it was an accident, but as you know, everyone on our crew is well-behaved. It really was an accident.\"

\"The truck was driving just fine, but it exploded when it was next to my son? You're trying to fool me with this excuse of an accident?\" Fang Han's sharp gaze pierced through the producer, making it hard for anyone to withstand, no matter their age.

Director Wei Hua spoke up, \"Old Fang.\"

Fang Han waited for him to continue, \"What is it?\"

\"It was both an accident and human error.\" Wei Hua didn't hide anything, he explained everything as it was. He couldn't keep it a secret, and his personality wasn't one to hide things. He felt responsible for what happened.

The vehicles used by the crew were all old cars. When they weren't filming, they would be parked for one or two years, causing the tires to age. Before using them again, they needed maintenance or new tires. The driver in charge of the vehicles reported the cost of two new front tires, but didn't actually replace them.

The road conditions were too poor, and the rain made it worse. In fact, the two tires were already in bad condition before the accident. But it wasn't practical to spend a lot of time fixing them outside, so the driver replaced one with a spare tire.

The driver had been tinkering with these things for years, so he knew what he was doing. The truck wasn't that sensitive, so one or two tire issues weren't a big deal. He could make do until the filming was over. Usually it would have been fine, and if he really had no confidence, he wouldn't have done it.

The problem was that the scrap from the dismantled bridge was too heavy. The two tires on the same axis had different patterns, and the old tire was severely worn. With low tire pressure and high speed, hitting a pothole could cause it to explode.

Was this an accident? It certainly was, but it could have been avoided. The driver had the greatest responsibility, but who wasn't responsible? No one could escape blame, but going up the line, it was that the checks weren't being strictly enforced.

Along with Fang Shaoyi, two other actors were also injured. The two young actors often asked Fang Shaoyi for help with their scenes, and he usually didn't refuse. During lunchtime, Ji Xiaotao went to get food for Fang Shaoyi. Otherwise, if they were together all the time, he might also have ended up with a serious injury.

After all these years of acting and filming many fight scenes, Fang Shaoyi's reflexes were quick. The moment the accident happened, he pushed the two actors forward, otherwise they would have been hit on the head and their skulls would have been shattered.

If Fang Shaoyi had ignored the two actors, he could have avoided the situation or at least not been injured to this extent. But how could he ignore them? Should he just watch them get killed? Would he still be Fang Shaoyi?

Fang Han's eyes trembled back and forth, with murky red spots at the bottom. He asked, \"What about the driver? Is he dead?\"

Geng Jinwei replied, \"He's in the hospital, but he's not dead. Shaoyi was more seriously injured.\"

\"He's not more seriously injured than my son?\" Fang Han was truly angry. He had lived his whole life with integrity and now he could finally say such words. \"He brought this upon himself, and now he wants my son to carry this mistake for him?\"

\"If something really happens to my son, how could you compensate me?\" Fang Han pointed at the producer and then turned his gaze to Wei Hua. Someone who could say that \"there's no big deal with minor injuries on the set\" was now yelling at them while pounding on the wall, \"If the steel bar had pierced my son's heart, how will you compensate me?!\"

","published_time":"2024-07-08T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-06-10T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-07-08T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":753,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":66,"chapter_title":"Chapter 66","content":"

Who could compensate for Fang Shaoyi? Nobody could.

Fang Shaoyi's chest tube was still draining blood, and it wasn't the normal amount for post-surgery. The color was also very dark. They had to push him out to do a lung check, and after the doctors' consultation, they decided to do a CT scan at 10 o'clock to find the bleeding source.

Yuan Ye let everyone else go back, leaving only Geng Jinwei and Ji Xiaotao in the hospital. It was enough for the three of them to handle any emergencies or tests. Having too many people around was useless, and it would only cause more trouble for the hospital.

It was not good for everyone to be stuck in the hallway, and it made everyone anxious. Yuan Ye didn't want others to see Fang Shaoyi's current state, fearing that his parents would worry and that others would see his distress.

Yuan Ye understood Fang Shaoyi. If it weren't for the fear that something unexpected might happen and he wasn't enough to handle it, he would have been fine staying there alone.

No one mentioned the film now that Fang Shaoyi was in this state. Nobody dared to bring it up. Whether he would wake up or recover was uncertain, and the danger period had not passed yet. After he recovered, it was unknown whether the movie could still be made. The director didn't mention it and didn't have time to consider such things.

If Fang Shaoyi stopped bleeding, he could still move a little, and they would have to make him practice breathing and coughing. But they didn't know where the bleeding was coming from, and the doctor didn't allow him to move. If it was a major blood vessel, it would be very dangerous if he moved too much and caused it to rupture.

Now wherever he goes, there's a little doctor following him. They walk through the doctor's passage the whole way, without having to wait outside for the elevator. Fang Shaoyi is awake, Yuan Ye and Ji Xiaotao are both wearing masks, and Fang Shaoyi isn't wearing an oxygen mask anymore. He said to Yuan Ye in the elevator, \"Have you not rested at all?\"

Yuan Ye smiled and lowered his head, his smile hidden behind his mask but could be seen in his eyes. He said, \"I've rested.\"

Fang Shaoyi blinked slowly and said, \"You're lying.\"

Ji Xiaotao chimed in, \"Brother, he's lying.\"

Yuan Ye glanced at him and said, \"You're quick to speak.\"

This was the first time Ji Xiaotao had spoken to Fang Shaoyi since he was injured. He had followed him the whole way these past few days, and looking back, he didn't know how he had managed to endure all the panic and fear. It was all fine until he spoke to Fang Shaoyi, and then his emotions suddenly broke down, unable to hold back his tears.

Geng Jinwei patted him on the back, and Fang Shaoyi called out to him, \"Xiaotao.\"

\"Yeah!\" Ji Xiaotao sniffled and responded hoarsely, \"What's up, bro?\"

Fang Shaoyi's voice was low, and he spoke with some difficulty, \"You stay here tonight and send him back to rest.\"

\"I've been chasing him day and night, but he just won't listen,\" Ji Xiaotao pulled down his mask and complained, \"He's out of control now, bro, you'll have to deal with him later.\"

\"Mm.\" Fang Shaoyi chuckled silently and turned his gaze towards Yuan Ye, who blinked back at him.

In the afternoon, the team of doctors that Geng Jinwei had arranged arrived. They brought with them all of Fang Shaoyi's test results and reports, and together with the hospital's doctors and the doctors who had rushed to the county town to perform emergency surgery on him, they consulted and studied for an hour. Fang Shaoyi currently had two bleeding points. They would observe the situation further and if necessary, perform another thoracoscopy.

Yuan Ye was very unhappy about having to undergo another procedure. It would mean being put under general anesthesia again, which was like having another surgery.

Who could bear to go through it all over again? Would Yuan Ye's heart be ripped out and stomped on once, only to have it done once more?

\"Brother, please stop bleeding and let the blood clot, don't go into surgery again, it's killing me,\" said Yuan Ye to Fang Shaoyi.

Yuan Ye was half-squatting at the time, and Fang Shaoyi lifted his hand and placed it on Yuan Ye's head, smiling and saying, \"Okay, I'll try my best.\"

Yuan Ye grabbed his hand, wanting to pinch it but hesitated because there was a needle in his hand.

During the examination, they could only exchange a few words while on the way back and forth, and the rest of the time they were separated by doors.

During the days that Fang Shaoyi was in the ICU, Yuan Ye never left his side and didn't even go back to sleep. There were a few times when he went to a hotel near the hospital where Ji Xiaotao was staying to take a shower and change his clothes, but he always rushed back immediately. He couldn't be away from Fang Shaoyi for too long, always afraid that the nurses would have something to say when he wasn't there.

Yuan Ye's heart was hanging by the door of the ICU, and even going downstairs felt like he was carrying his heart outside of his chest.

Listening to updates over the phone, he had grown to hate this feeling.

For however many days Fang Shaoyi stayed inside, Yuan Ye stayed outside for just as many. Even when Fang Han tried to chase him away and told him to go sleep, he wouldn't listen to anyone. He would just sit and doze off on a chair in the hallway. The nurses told him many times that he didn't need to stay, and that they would call him if there were any problems, but Yuan Ye couldn't leave. His heart was here, and he couldn't take a single step away.

Thankfully, Fang Shaoyi's bleeding eventually stopped, and he didn't need another surgery. When Yuan Ye went in to see him, he kissed him hard on the mouth.

Later, Fang Shaoyi escaped the danger period. His lungs were not severely infected and there were no complications. His fever only recurred occasionally, so he could be transferred to a regular ward.

Actually, he could have been transferred two days earlier, but Yuan Ye was not at ease. Since he had already been staying for these days, another two days wouldn't make much of a difference.

Fang Shaoyi's hair was shaved off completely. When his wound was being stitched up at the back of his head, a small patch was shaved off. When his wound was being dressed, he decided to shave it all off, making it easier to manage during his hospital stay.

On the day he was discharged from the ICU, he walked out on his own with needles still buried in his hand. He slowly lifted his hand and hugged Yuan Ye. Both of them had lost weight, and it was quite noticeable.

Yuan Ye was hesitant to touch him, not knowing where to put his hands. He had wounds on his chest and back, and couldn't even rest his face against his collarbone. Yuan Ye let out a sigh and asked him in a low voice, \"My hand...Where should I put my hand?\"

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and knew he was feeling uneasy. He chuckled softly and whispered in his ear, \"...Put it on my butt.\"

\"Huh?\" Yuan Ye let go of him and turned to look at Ji Xiaotao and the young doctor following them. Then he turned back to Fang Shaoyi and whispered, \"So you mean you won't do it in future? I'll take over?\"

Fang Shaoyi smiled and shrugged his shoulders slightly, \"Sure.\"

Yuan Ye curled his lips, \"You're dreaming.\"

Many people were waiting for him in the hospital room. When Fang Shaoyi entered, he joked, \"Wow, this scene scared me.\"

His parents were there too. His mother's eyes turned red instantly. She was a dignified lady, and was trying hard not to cry. Fang Shaoyi slowly walked over and hugged her, saying, \"I'm fine now, don't worry.\"

Fang's mother touched his face and didn't say much. She just kept touching him back and forth.

His father, Fang Han, said, \"It's good that you're okay. It's inevitable. Little Yuan has been working too hard these days. Let him rest well. Don't mess around!\"

With a grin on his face, Yuan Ye said, \"Actually, every time you guys leave, I just find a place to sleep. Who really stays up all night? Do you really believe that, Dad?\"

He was being playful in front of others, still putting on that lazy look. When the room was empty, he gently wiped Fang Shaoyi's head with a towel. It was good, he didn't even need to wash his hair. Now the two of them had similar hairstyles.

Fang Shaoyi had shaved his head before for a role, so Yuan Ye was familiar with it. But back then, Fang Shaoyi wasn't as thin and haggard-looking.

Yuan Ye' stopped wiping and looked at Fang Shaoyi, who was looking up at him. Yuan Ye didn't show much expression, he just said, \"You're not pretty anymore.\"

Fang Shaoyi touched his own face and smiled, \"Do I look bad? Give me some time.\"

\"Can you go back to how you looked before if I give you time?\" Yuan Ye held a towel in his hand and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, his voice a little hoarse. \"You can't be even slightly different from before.\"

\"I can.\" Fang Shaoyi held his hand and looked up at him with a serious expression. \"I can do it.\"

He said he could do it, and his reassuring gaze conveyed the strength that Yuan Ye needed. Yuan Ye stood still and looked at him for several minutes. They didn't say anything, just looked at each other. After this injury, they often looked into each other's eyes like this, as if there were many things that didn't need to be said.

The other person would understand what was on their mind.

Although Fang Shaoyi had been discharged from the intensive care unit, it didn't mean he was completely fine. He had suffered serious injuries, with almost half of his lung cut off. Every day, he had to take medicine and undergo lung expansion exercises. Yuan Ye followed the doctor's orders and bought a bag of balloons for Fang Shaoyi to blow on every day.

When Wei Hua entered the room, Fang Shaoyi was discussing with Yuan Ye whether he could skip the balloon blowing for the day.

Yuan Ye asked him, \"Does it hurt?\"

Fang Shaoyi showed his weakness and said, \"Ah, it hurts. Can we skip it today?\"

\"No, blow it, you've only done a few.\" Yuan Ye was unmoved and continued to cut fruit for him. Fang Shaoyi had become quite spoiled after his injury, and it was unbearable for others to see. Yuan Ye had to cut the fruit into small pieces and mix them together for him to eat.

\"It hurts. My lungs...\" Fang Shaoyi interrupted himself as he saw Director Wei walking in, greeting him with a smile, \"Leader.\"

\"What's going on here?\" Director Wei walked in and stood by Fang Shaoyi's bed, talking to him, \"You seem to be in good spirits.\"

Fang Shaoyi shook the balloon in his hand and said, \"Yuan Ye keeps asking me to blow this every day.\"

\"Well, then you should blow it well,\" Director Wei said with a smile.

Now that Fang Shaoyi has been released from the ICU and his condition has stabilized, visitors who come to see him no longer have to put on a sad face, it wasn't auspicious to. The director visits him almost every day, and on this particular day, Fang Shaoyi took the initiative to talk to him about the film. Although he didn't have many scenes left, the lead character's scenes where he acted foolishly had yet to be filmed.

Director Wei said, \"You just focus on getting better, don't worry about anything else. I'll figure it out.\"

The situation for this film was really difficult right now, especially for the director. Some people on the crew are saying privately that this film has been plagued with problems from start to finish. The director and that old locust tree just don't get along, causing trouble at every turn.

Director Wei has been making movies for a lifetime, but no other crew has been as difficult as this one. The lead actor had an accident halfway through filming and had to be replaced, but the replacement also had an accident and almost died. Even the set had problems, with Yuan Ye falling from the tree and injuring his feet.

Everything just seems to be going wrong, with unexpected accidents happening all the time. Now, no one knows if Fang Shaoyi can recover or if they can even continue filming. Maybe they'll have to replace him with someone else in the future.

On set, no one dared to ask the question on everyone's mind: will this movie ever see the light of day? With so many setbacks, no one knew what the future held. The director remained tight-lipped, leaving everyone in silence.

As for Fang Shaoyi, he could barely speak without coughing, but his coughing was a good sign. After he finished, Yuan Ye handed him some fruit to soothe his throat and lungs. Fang Shaoyi even joked with the director, \"With my current physique and weight, I'm perfect for the later scenes. But I can't do the scenes where he's young anymore, so it'll have to be a stand-in.\"

Director Wei didn't respond, only waving his hand.

Fang Shaoyi knew what he was thinking and called out to him, \"Director.\"

Director Wei looked at him, his brow furrowed with deep wrinkles.

Fang Shaoyi spoke seriously, \"You know my situation now, I really can't return to the crew in a short time. It's unrealistic to ask me to start filming next month, it's impossible. But since I've taken on this role, I must finish it. I know the weight you're carrying now, but tell everyone to rest assured, besides having to delay the schedule, nothing else will be affected.\"

Fang Shaoyi spoke so much in one breath that he started coughing. Yuan Ye came over to pat him gently on the back. Director Wei watched them silently for a long time before sighing deeply and speaking in his usual weathered voice, honed over half a lifetime, \"Child... I didn't come here to talk about the film.\"

The word \"child\" sounded a bit surreal to Fang Shaoyi. It had been years since Director Wei had called him that. When Fang Shaoyi was only sixteen and just starting out in the film industry, Director Wei would always address him as \"child\". As Fang Shaoyi matured, the nickname no longer seemed appropriate, and Director Wei stopped using it.

Fang Shaoyi had initially turned down the role in this movie, but Director Wei pulled him over to save the production. Fang Shaoyi's luck had almost run out on this project, and everyone knew how the director must have felt.

Fang Shaoyi smiled at him like a child, simple and innocent. He shrugged and said, \"I'm just an actor. If you're not going to talk to me about the film, what else is there to say?\"

As for this matter, Yuan Ye had never discussed it with him, it wasn't important. Yuan Ye knew Fang Shaoyi too well, so he never doubted that Fang Shaoyi would complete the filming.

Yuan Ye had just gone out to deliver a bunch of balloons that Fang Shaoyi had blown up to the children in the neighboring ward. He had been doing this every day recently, and the children were always so happy. When he returned, Fang Shaoyi called out to him, \"I need to go to the bathroom.\"

Yuan Ye rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, agreed with a mischievous smile, and deliberately asked him, \"Do you want me to help you?\"

\"Do you ever stop?\" Fang Shaoyi laughed and cried, \"Do you have some kind of obsession? If you really want it, then I can satisfy you once.\"

During his time in the ICU, Fang Shaoyi was unable to move for several days. At that time, there was a urinal, and when it was emptied, the nurse would bring all of his belongings over. Yuan Ye had been thinking about using it once, but now that Fang Shaoyi could walk and move, there was no way he would use it.

\"Is it me who has an obsession?\" Yuan Ye walked over to help Fang Shaoyi and led him to the bathroom. \"Is it me or is it you?\"

Fang Shaoyi could have gone by himself, but he insisted on having Yuan Ye support him. Ever since he got injured, Yuan Ye had been helping him like this. Standing behind him, Yuan Ye supported him in a way that was almost like hugging him from behind.

This was the most intimate position they could be in, even more intimate than making love. Only when one loves someone deeply from the bottom of their heart can they treat them like this, and only then can they naturally become so close.

Afterwards, the two of them stood together in front of the water basin to wash their hands. Fang Shaoyi adjusted the water temperature and squeezed out some hand soap to create foam in his palms. Then, he grabbed both of Yuan Ye's hands and carefully rubbed them clean.

Their four hands intertwined, their fingers slippery and entangled. They played with the foam for a long time, laughing and having fun. Finally, Yuan Ye couldn't help but ask, \"What are you doing?\"

Fang Shaoyi lowered his head and replied, \"I'm washing your hands.\"

There was a bed in the hospital room specifically for family members to stay overnight, and this was Yuan Ye's bed. Before, he had spent many nights in the hallway, and even after he got a bed, he couldn't sleep soundly. He would wake up in the middle of the night to check on Fang Shaoyi, and he knew when Fang Shaoyi would cough in his sleep.

Fang Shaoyi coughed softly a few times, then he sat up, and Yuan Ye asked, \"What's wrong?\"

Fang Shaoyi looked over at him and asked, \"Did I wake you up?\"

\"No, I just can't sleep well,\" Yuan Ye replied. He walked over to Yuan Ye and poured a glass of water for Fang Shaoyi, handing it to him to drink.

Fang Shaoyi knew that Yuan Ye couldn't sleep well, so he thought for a moment and said, \"Let's move the bed over here, and I'll hold you to sleep.\"

Yuan Ye actually considered it for a moment, but then shook his head and said, \"No, if I accidentally hurt you again, it'll be painful for both of us.\"

Fang Shaoyi turned on the bedside lamp and looked at Yuan Ye's calm and gentle expression, asking him, \"Are you not going to sleep?\"

Yuan Ye's chin was sharp now, and Fang Shaoyi suddenly said to him, \"I'm sorry.\"

Yuan Ye was stunned by his words, but then laughed and asked, \"Where did that come from? What are you sorry for?\"

Fang Shaoyi lifted his hand and gently stroked the spot where Yuan Ye's heart was, then whispered, \"...Don't be afraid.\"

It had been fine before, and Yuan Ye had always acted like nothing was wrong. But now, with just two words from Fang Shaoyi, every nerve in Yuan Ye's body was taut. He could even hear the sound of them snapping one by one.

Back when Fang Shaoyi first suffered from jet lag in front of Yuan Ye, it had scared him so much that his lips turned white. Even though Yuan Ye was a grown man now, almost thirty-five, he could still remember that moment vividly. But he had been able to handle everything that had been thrown at him these past few days, and he was feeling pretty damn proud of himself.

At first, Yuan Ye just stood there in shock. But then he suddenly bent down, burying his face in Fang Shaoyi's bed and curling up into a ball. His shoulders shook, the tremors growing more and more violent until they were like spasms.

Fang Shaoyi touched his head, apologizing with every pat.

\"I don't accept your apology,\" Yuan Ye's words were thick with a nasal tone and childish anger. He gripped Fang Shaoyi's blanket tightly, his entire back shaking. \"What good does your apology do... My heart has been ripped out and trampled into dust these past few days. How can a simple sorry make up for that...\"

\"It was raining on the island and I can't go back to you. Xiaotao told me you were injured, that a steel bar had pierced your chest and you were unconscious. I couldn't come back!\"

Yuan Ye's voice was now out of control. He pressed his face hard against the bed and breathed heavily.

\"Just because you say not to be afraid, can I really not be? Why don't you try it?\"

\"Stand outside there while I'm lying inside and see if you're still not afraid!\"

\"I wished I could swim back... Do you know what despair feels like...\"

Fang Shaoyi kept patting his neck and back, apologizing continuously and reassuring him that everything will be okay.

Yuan Ye's throat let out an uncontrollable sob as he pushed away Fang Shaoyi's hand. \"I want to rip out my lungs for you, as long as you don't bleed or have a fever!\"

\"I regretted so much these past few days... Do you know how much I f*cking regretted it? Why did I give you red envelopes for Chinese New Year? I haven't given you anything in years, why did I suddenly decide to give you one this year? I shouldn't have given it to you, I shouldn't have given you anything...\"

Fang Shaoyi's heart was now shattered, and every word of Yuan Ye's made him ache. Fang Shaoyi knew he was afraid, and he had never changed in this regard, whether he was seventeen or now, he was very timid in this aspect.

So, the only thought in Fang Shaoyi's mind before he lost consciousness was Yuan Ye. It was terrible, the little monkey was going to be scared out of his wits.

Fang Shaoyi's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked down at Yuan Ye, his palm pressed against the back of his head, and said in a deep voice, \"How could I leave you alone?\"

Yuan Ye's face rubbed back and forth on the bed twice, then he suddenly raised his head to look at Fang Shaoyi, and shouted hoarsely, \"Bullshit! You almost died, that's all bullshit!\"

","published_time":"2024-07-15T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-06-17T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-07-15T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":772,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":67,"chapter_title":"Chapter 67","content":"

Fang Shaoyi said that he wouldn't leave Yuan Ye alone, after lying in the ICU for so many days.

How could Yuan Ye accept this? He stared at Fang Shaoyi with dead eyes: \"You weren't even conscious, and you're telling me now that you won't leave me? That's bullshit.\"

Whatever he said, Fang Shaoyi went along with it, nodding and admitting, \"Yes, it's all bullshit. I was wrong.\"

Yuan Ye glared at him. That day, he said a lot. For every sentence he said, Fang Shaoyi nodded and admitted to it, then apologized to him, saying he was wrong.

In the late night, this outburst of hysterical questioning completely exhausted Yuan Ye. The energy he had been holding onto seemed to have dissipated. He sat on his bed in a relaxed state, not sitting up straight.

Fang Shaoyi whispered, \"Go to sleep, I'll watch over you. I'll definitely recover well, just see how I perform?\"

After venting, Yuan Ye's mind was now even a bit empty, almost blank. But the strong sense of exhaustion made him not want to move anymore, not even wanting to wash his face. He just lay down and slept. He slept facing Fang Shaoyi's side and before sleeping, he deeply looked at him.

Fang Shaoyi's tenderness was always present. He gazed over, and even Yuan Ye could feel his gaze.

After Yuan Ye fell asleep, Fang Shaoyi quietly got up and walked to the bathroom, holding his injured side. He grabbed a warm towel and sat on Yuan Ye's bed, gently wiping his face. He was very careful and gentle. Yuan Ye had lost weight, and at his age, losing weight could easily make one look older.

Yuan Ye's appearance used to make him look younger, but now it matched his age. Fang Shaoyi lightly touched the small, beautiful dimple above Yuan Ye's eye with his thumb.

Yuan Ye slept soundly, so much so that when the others came in the morning, he still hadn't woken up. Ji Xiaotao brought breakfast over, and Fang Shaoyi had just come out of the bathroom after washing up. Ji Xiaotao came over to help him, but Fang Shaoyi shushed for him to be quiet.

Ji Xiaotao lowered his voice and said, \"Uncle and Aunt want to come over later, I'll go pick them up.\"

Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied, \"Wait a bit later, let him rest longer.\"

Ji Xiaotao looked out at Yuan Ye, feeling a pang in his heart. \"My Brother Ye hasn't slept in days. He's been tense the whole time, and I was afraid he might break.\"

Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye and shook his head gently. \"He won't.\"

If he hadn't put his heart at ease, he wouldn't relax at all. Yuan Ye's determination was unyielding, and he could keep going without letting up. Fang Shaoyi whispered to Ji Xiaotao, who nodded in agreement and said, \"Okay, brother.\"

On that day, Yuan Ye slept straight through until the afternoon. People came and went in the ward, but Yuan Ye didn't move a muscle even when the nurses spoke to Fang Shaoyi during their rounds. Whenever someone entered, Fang Shaoyi would give them a quiet \"shh\" gesture.

Normally, no one was allowed to sleep in the accompanying bed at this time, and they had to wait until the doctor finished their rounds in the morning. However, their situation was a bit special, and the doctors and nurses didn't enforce the rules too strictly.

When Fang Shaoyi's parents came to visit, he asked them to go back home first. After all, they were getting older, and Fang Shaoyi was worried about them. But Fang Han said, \"Don't worry about us. Just take care of yourself.\"

Fang Shaoyi said, \"I'm worried about you guys staying here, and I need some time to recuperate. Don't stay here and waste your time. Dad, you go back to your work, and I'll come back to live with you after I'm discharged from the hospital.\"

His mother said, \"Your dad can go back, but I'll stay here.\"

\"No,\" Fang Shaoyi smiled at her and said, \"As long as Yuan Ye is here, it's fine. I'm not at ease with you staying here alone.\"

After he said that, they didn't insist on staying. They couldn't help much, and Fang Shaoyi would have to worry about them.

Yuan Ye was startled awake by a loud noise. Upon hearing a \"boom\", he suddenly opened his eyes.

\"It's okay, it's okay,\" Fang Shaoyi was startled for a moment, then quickly said to him, \"You go back to sleep.\"

Yuan Ye sat up and asked, \"What happened? What was that sound?\"

Geng Jinwei sat on a chair next to Fang Shaoyi's hospital bed, half-smiling as he said, \"The balloon burst.\"

Yuan Ye blinked and then looked at Fang Shaoyi, who looked slightly annoyed. Fang Shaoyi asked him, \"Are you still going to sleep?\"

Yuan Ye checked his phone and was surprised that it was already so late. He shook his head and said with a smile, \"I won't sleep anymore.\"

He stood up, folded the blanket, and went to the bathroom to wash up. Fang Shaoyi whispered to Geng Jinwei, \"I said we shouldn't blow it yet, but you insisted.\"

Geng Jinwei still had that same expression on his face, with a vague smile. \"Did I tell you to do it?\" he asked. \"It was the nurse who said so.\"

\"You should go back,\" Fang Shaoyi said, frowning slightly.

\"I'll leave tomorrow,\" Geng Jinwei shrugged, picked up the report on the nearby cabinet, rolled it into a tube, and hit Fang Shaoyi's leg with it. \"You think I want to come? If you hadn't gotten into trouble, then why would I come? I have better things to do than worry about you.\"

Yuan Ye came out after washing up, wiping his face with a towel and saying, \"There are some people that you don't need to worry about.\"

Both of them looked over, and Geng Jinwei raised an eyebrow and asked, \"You? You're no better, you're practically my ancestor.\"

Yuan Ye laughed and said, \"I'm not even an artist in your company, let alone a star.\"

Geng Jinwei didn't say anything and ignored his comment.

Yuan Ye walked over to the other side of Fang Shaoyi, squatted down to look at the bubbles in his drainage tube, and asked, \"Have you had your fruits today? How many balloons did you blow up?\"

Fang Shaoyi couldn't resist the urge to touch Yuan Ye beside him. He placed his hand on top of his head and rubbed back and forth.

\"I've eaten the fruits, and blown up the balloons,\" he said. \"Xiaotao brought you some food, it's over there. Hurry up and eat.\"

\"I asked you how many you blew,\" Yuan Ye didn't let him get away with it, raising an eyebrow and looking up.

\"He hasn't blown a single one,\" Geng Jinwei chimed in.

Yuan Ye threw the balloons at him. \"Blow them then,\" he said, standing up to go eat.

Yuan Ye had been receiving more phone calls than usual these days, but there was nothing he couldn't handle. Guan Zhou was a hotspot for all sorts of gossip, and Yuan Ye received his call while eating, and asked, \"What's up, Zhou'er?\"

\"Brother Ye, I heard that something happened to Shaoyi's crew. Is everything okay?\" Guan Zhou asked over the phone.

Ye Yuan didn't deny it and simply responded with a \"Mm, he got injured, but it's fine now. Don't worry about it.\"

Guan Zhou said, \"I heard it was pretty serious. Whatever you need, just let me know.\"

\"Sure,\" Ye Yuan chuckled, \"Thanks.\"

Rumors began to spread online, with some claiming that Fang Shaoyi had been in a serious accident on set and didn't survive.

At first, people thought it was just nonsense. After all, such stories often appear in the media. But the power of netizens should never be underestimated. They followed every lead and eventually found out that the accident was indeed real. Once someone spoke up, evidence began to surface one by one.

The fans were completely panicked. Both Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye's Weibo accounts were exploding with messages from fans begging for them to say something and let everyone know they were safe. Even passersby were asking about it.

Netizens had already spread rumors that this was all because of the grudge between them and He Han, and that they were being retaliated against. The fans weren't even in the mood to go to He Han's Weibo account to cause a commotion anymore, they were too anxious.

Fang Shaoyi's condition was gradually stabilizing, and Yuan Ye wasn't afraid to let people know that he was injured. He had Ji Xiaotao post on both of their Weibo accounts, saying that it was just a minor injury and that there was no need to worry.

Yuan Ye sat on Fang Shaoyi's bed and took a picture, leaning against him and making a silly face while raising his eyebrows. Fang Shaoyi was only partially visible in the photo, with one hand resting on Yuan Ye's head.

Fans finally let out a sigh of relief when they saw this photo, and continued to cry and pray. Despite the fact that Fang Shaoyi was really wearing a hospital gown, and his thin wrists showed just how much weight he had lost, at least the previous rumors were not true, right? He was stable, wasn't he?

Afterwards, Yuan Ye's parents also arrived. Yuan Ye had not told them about them earlier, afraid that they would worry. But once Fang Shaoyi was out of danger, there was nothing to worry about, so the elderly couple took a flight and arrived the next day.

Yuan Ye hugged his mother and said, \"Hey, hey, Mom, don't cry, he'll feel pressured if you cry.\"

\"I'm not crying, I'm not crying.\" The old lady wiped away her tears, sat next to Fang Shaoyi, and touched his arm and hand. \"You've suffered, Shaoyi.\"

Fang Shaoyi looked really disheveled now, completely different from before. His hair was shaved and he still had a tube attached to his body, which made anyone who saw him feel uneasy. After all these years, Fang Shaoyi was like a half-son to the family, and seeing him like this was unbearable.

\"It's okay, Mom. I'll be fine in a couple of months,\" Fang Shaoyi comforted her.

\"What's okay about it? Do you think I don't know?\" the old lady wiped her eyes. \"It's your lungs we're talking about. How can it recover so easily?\"

\"It won't affect him. Young people recover quickly,\" Yuan Ye said beside them. \"He really is okay.\"

The elderly couple didn't stay long and went back after two days. The hospital was already bustling with people, and they couldn't do much to help.

Except for those who were truly close to him, Fang Shaoyi had turned down all visitors who expressed their desire to come and see him. He needed to rest, and if he were to open his doors to guests, he wouldn't have anything else to do but wait for them all day.

With such serious injuries, if he allowed visitors, half the people in the industry would have to make a trip to visit him, as long as they had the slightest connection with him.

So, he decided that no one should come to see him.

Even Jian Xu, who came in the middle of the night, had to sneak in. He wore a hat and a mask, and his assistant, Dong Lin, followed behind him with a large backpack.

Fang Shaoyi looked at him helplessly and asked, \"Why are you here? What time is it now?\"

\"F*ck this, there's all sorts of stories going around, if I don't take a look with my own eyes, I'll be worried to death,\" Jian Xu furrowed his brows and scolded. Then he continued, \"You shouldn't stay here, the conditions are terrible. I'll help you contact someplace better to recuperate, it's a great place, very peaceful.\"

Fang Shaoyi smiled and shook his head, \"No need, I don't want to be discharged and go through all that again. It doesn't matter where I am.\"

Currently, Jian Xu is filming a detective movie. Originally, Fang Shaoyi was supposed to take on the project, but he passed it on to Jian Xu instead. It just goes to show how strong their relationship is, otherwise it would have been easy for the other person to overthink and believe that he was just giving away something he didn't want.

Once the movie is finished, if it did well then things would be fine, but if it doesn't do well, he might even blame him for it. You let me film this piece of junk? And I owe you a favor too?

That's why if their relationship wasn't as close as it was, he wouldn't have given these resources to the other person. It was a very complicated matter.

There wasn't much calculation between Fang Shaoyi and Jian Xu. Jian Xu really needed to consider transitioning, and Fang Shaoyi had indeed helped him by promoting projects that suited him. Jian Xu said, \"After filming TV dramas for so many years, I feel like I've lost my roots. I always feel like something's missing and I can't quite reach the top.\"

\"Take it slow,\" Fang Shaoyi told him. \"The mode of filming is different. You have to give 120% when filming a movie, otherwise you won't be able to make it on the screen. There will still be something lacking.\"

\"When are we going to work on a project together?\" Jian Xu half-jokingly said. \"I can be your supporting actor or even third lead.\"

\"Me?\" Fang Shaoyi laughed at himself. \"Look at me now, who knows what I'll be like in the future.\"

\"F*ck, what's with you?\" Jian Xu asked. \"Before I came, I thought it would be much scarier than it is now. It's not too bad, not too bad.\"

It was late at night and Jian Xu didn't want to stay too long. Fang Shaoyi needed rest. After sitting for about half an hour, Jian Xu was ready to leave. Before he did, he asked the two of them, \"Have you two remarried?\"

The question was too sharp. Fang Shaoyi looked at Yuan Ye, and Yuan Ye looked back at him. Neither of them could answer.

\"Okay, I see,\" Jian Xu said, looking at the two of them. \"So when are you two planning to remarry?\"

\"Remarry?\" Yuan Ye laughed. \"What marriage?\"

Jian Xu laughed a little ambiguously and threw a glance at Fang Shaoyi, saying, \"Look at you now, you've lost your looks and your youth. You're done for.\"

\"Why are you so despicable, get out of here,\" Fang Shaoyi shooed him away.

The despicable Jian Xu dragged his assistant away.

With him gone, Fang Shaoyi called Yuan Ye over to sit next to him, his voice low, \"You're not going to remarry me, huh?\"

\"No, I won't,\" Yuan Ye shook his head, \"I didn't even sign the divorce papers.\"

Although he didn't sign the papers, the divorce was a messy affair that neither of them could fully claim innocence in. In fact, it was Yuan Ye who first initiated it, and Yuan Ye knew this well in his heart. He was intentionally saying this now, since anyway Fang Shaoyi would play along with him.

\"Yes, yes, it was me who wanted it,\" Fang Shaoyi didn't even try to resist, \"Why was I so impulsive back then. But now, my lung hearts.\"

His first sentence was unrelated to the second.

He had recently found a winning formula. No matter what he said, as long as he added \"my lungs hurt\", it was the most effective.

He had even made Yuan Ye laugh, saying, \"Your collarbone doesn't hurt?\"

\"No,\" replied Fang Shaoyi, \"just my lungs.\"

\"Then what do you want to do?\" asked Yuan Ye, \"How can I make it not hurt?\"

Fang Shaoyi's face was serious and earnest as he replied, \"If we remarry, my pain will disappear immediately.\"

","published_time":"2024-07-22T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-06-24T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-07-22T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":790,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":68,"chapter_title":"Chapter 68","content":"

Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye were not the type of people who liked to frequently appear on news or gossip websites, but now that Fang Shaoyi was injured, news about him seemed to never end. Fang Shaoyi asked Geng Jinwei to try to suppress it and not make a big deal out of it. The less said about him, the better. The articles with titles starting with \"Fang Shaoyi Injured\" were probably going to be annoying for a while, so they should try to minimize them.

Yuan Ye had spoiled Fang Shaoyi so much that he felt like Fang Shaoyi's personality had changed after this injury. He became clingy and lazy, not wanting to listen or think about many things.

This was no small accident. Two houses collapsed, four people were injured, and one was seriously hurt. The driver responsible for the accident was in a tough spot. The set director came to plead for leniency, but was also ashamed to say too much.

In the past, Fang Shaoyi might have let it slide and said \"forget about it\" while Yuan Ye was away. But now, Fang Shaoyi was too busy eating fruit from a glass bowl to even acknowledge the set director's words.

The fruit was cut by Yuan Ye, and now Old Master Fang allowed only him to serve him. He wouldn't eat fruit cut by anyone else. According to Ji Xiaotao, Fang Shaoyi's mental age regressed thirty years after his head was hit, and he was now acting like a ten-year-old.

Fang Shaoyi pointed to Yuan Ye and told the set director that he couldn't make the decision and didn't want to bother with it, so he passed it on to Yuan Ye. He said, \"I can't be the one to decide.\"

Without any hesitation, Yuan Ye threw a tissue onto Fang Shaoyi's leg and said, \"We won't make things difficult, and we won't take revenge. We'll just do what we have to do. We don't want compensation, and he can't afford it anyway. If he deserves to be punished, he should be punished. If he needs to go to jail, he should go to jail. No one is forcing him to receive a harsh sentence. He can hire a lawyer to try to get a lighter sentence. We'll just accept whatever the verdict is without objection.\"

The scenic director had no face to say anything else. Although Fang Shaoyi had a relationship with the crew, he almost lost his life because of the driver's problem. Who could afford to compensate for Fang Shaoyi's life?

Even if he had survived now, the small piece of lung lobe he had to cut off and the months of recovery cannot be calculated.

Yuan Ye said, \"Even if we don't hold anyone responsible and we both keep quiet, Brother Geng from the company won't let it go just like this. He's that kind of person... he's ruthless. Xue-laoshi, let's just do what should be done.\"

The set director was also just trying his luck here, and he was too embarrassed to speak up further. In truth, he was angry about the whole situation and had been worried sick for days. But after all, these were people he had worked with for several years, and he just couldn't bring himself to say no. He decided to give it a try, and if it worked, great, but if not, it was his own fault.

Now that Yuan Ye had made things clear, he felt a sense of relief and even a little bit of satisfaction deep down.

This matter is something that Yuan Ye cannot forgive. He is not a bad person, and in the face of right and wrong, he can still have good intentions. But he is not a saint either.

Since the accident happened, Yuan Ye has not even laid eyes on the driver. If he were to see him, he might even want to kill him, especially when Fang Shaoyi was in critical care and his life was uncertain.

The accident was unpredictable, but it could have been avoided. When you make a mistake, you must pay the price. Don't expect others to let it go or even forgive you. Life isn't that easy.

Later, after the person had left, Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi, \"What do you think?\"

Fang Shaoyi had just finished eating fruit and handed the bowl to Yuan Ye. He was a little tired from eating and took a breath before saying, \"I think everything you said is right.\"

\"I guess if it was you, maybe forgiveness is possible,\" Yuan Ye said, looking at Fang Shaoyi.

Fang Shaoyi was not the type of person to hold a grudge, but he shook his head. Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow, and Fang Shaoyi's expression became serious as he looked into Yuan Ye's eyes and said, \"If this time I only broke a collarbone, then maybe I could have forgiven him.\"

Yuan Ye couldn't help but smile and asked, \"Since the injury is serious, then it can't be forgiven?\"

\"Exactly,\" Fang Shaoyi didn't deny it and nodded, \"It damaged my lungs, required surgery, and I even ended up in the ICU, at this point even I can't pretend to be a saint anymore.\"

At the time, Yuan Ye didn't quite understand Fang Shaoyi's meaning and just smiled before turning to wash the bowl. But as he washed, he thought about Fang Shaoyi's words and suddenly understood what he was thinking.

The injuries were too severe. These days, Fang Shaoyi has been working hard to make up for the fear that was left in Yuan Ye's heart. He cannot forgive because of the heartache and anxiety that everyone around him was feeling.

In fact, just the day when Yuan Ye cried uncontrollably by Fang Shaoyi's bedside, would cause Fang Shaoyi to hate for many years.

Yuan Ye doesn't cry often. From the time Fang Shaoyi met him until now, he has only cried to that extent twice. Once was when Fang Shaoyi forced him to sign the divorce papers, and the other was that night.

His inability to control his breath and voice, and every sob that escaped uncontrollably from his throat, filled Fang Shaoyi with hatred. For so many years, he had treasured Yuan Ye, this ball of fiery passion, in his heart, but it was almost extinguished.

The tears shed during their divorce were painful and filled with sorrow, but they did not contain fear and despair like this. How could Fang Shaoyi not hate him?

The small portion of lung that was removed wouldn't affect his future life too much, and after a full recovery, he could return to his previous state. However, it would take at least six months to fully recover.

Hospitals are not a place worth staying for long. On the day the doctor said he could be discharged, Fang Shaoyi had them prepare his discharge procedures. It should have been Ji Xiaotao who went to handle it, but before he could even leave, Fang Shaoyi called him back. Ji Xiaotao turned around and asked, \"What's up, bro?\"

Fang Shaoyi waved him back and then turned to Yuan Ye, saying, \"You handle it for me.\"

Ji Xiaotao was speechless and had a black line on his face. He had seen enough of these two in the past few days.

Yuan Ye was annoyed as well, \"I'm not going. How old are you?\"

\"No matter how old I am, it'll still be you handling it for me,\" Fang Shaoyi grabbed Yuan Ye's hand and shook it. \"If you don't handle it, I won't leave the hospital.\"

This hospital room was unbearable, and Ji Xiaotao left with his hands in his pockets and his head down.

Yuan Ye couldn't do anything about him. He stared at him for a while, then laughed and asked, \"Aren't you annoying?\"

\"Yes,\" Fang Shaoyi nodded seriously. \"It's not like I've only been annoying for a day or two.\"

\"At least you know it,\" Yuan Ye loosened his hand, trying to find a nurse to get his medicine and settle the discharge procedures.

\"I know,\" Fang Shaoyi replied, not letting go of Yuan Ye's hand. He took a ring out of his pocket and put it on Yuan Ye's ring finger. Then he looked up at him and smiled gently, saying, \"Just sign your name boldly. Write whatever you want about our relationship, it's all true.\"

As Yuan Ye looked at him, then at his own hand, he remained silent for a long time. Then he raised his hand and looked at it in front of him, his eyebrows slowly raised: \"Where did you get it from?\"

When Fang Shaoyi was being shameless, he really didn't hold back. His response had zero guilt, and even confident: \"I stole it. You just put it in the drawer, who wouldn't see it.\"

\"You stole my ring?\" Yuan Ye's face was full of disbelief.

\"Xiaotao stole it,\" Fang Shaoyi said.

\"You made him steal it?\" Yuan Ye asked again.

Fang Shaoyi nodded slightly: \"Yeah.\"

Yuan Ye should have been touched, but now he didn't know whether to laugh or cry: \"Can you two still have some integrity? Can't you just buy a new one?\"

Fang Shaoyi remained calm and collected, reaching into another pocket before taking off the ring from Yuan Ye's finger. He spoke as he did so, \"I was expecting this from you. If you want something new, I have it. If you want something old, I have that too. Whatever you want, I can give it to you, whether it's starting anew or going back to the past.\"

\"Is that so?\" Yuan Ye chuckled and sniffed, using the back of his hand to wipe his nose. He then crouched down and looked up at Fang Shaoyi from below. He took in the sight of his now thin but still handsome face, his strong nose and thin lips, and finally his gaze settled on his eyes.

In a serious tone, he said, \"I want the lung lobe that was cut off to be restored. Can you give me that?\"

Fang Shaoyi couldn't answer his question and could only smile bitterly and shake his head. Yuan Ye raised his finger and flicked Fang Shaoyi's chin like a mischievous boy teasing a beauty. Then he smirked and stood up, not saying anything before turning and leaving.

After a few steps, Yuan Ye turned back and took the ring from Fang Shaoyi's hand, twirling it in his fingers. He smiled and said, \"Whether it's new or old, it has to be mine.\"

Ji Xiaotao was too lazy to watch the two lovebirds in the room and was wandering aimlessly in the hallway with his hands in his pockets. Yuan Ye ran into him at the nurse's station and purposely bumped into his shoulder as he passed by. Ji Xiaotao stumbled back a step and rubbed his shoulder, asking, \"What's up, Brother Ye?\"

Yuan Ye waved the ring in front of him and teased, \"You stole my ring?\"

Ji Xiaotao felt a little guilty, \"...My brother asked me to do it.\"

Yuan Ye bumped into him again and said, \"Okay,\" without even looking at him.

Originally, Fang Shaoyi was supposed to go back and rest, but the movie was not finished yet. If he waited for half a year to come back and finish it, it would really be too long of a delay. His physical condition had recovered to an acceptable state now, and he could move normally and even do some moderate aerobic exercise, but he couldn't lift heavy objects or make too vigorous movements.

Under these conditions, Fang Shaoyi didn't go back, but went straight to the film crew.

He didn't have many scenes left to shoot, and most of them were inner monologues that didn't require much physical exertion. However, there was nothing certain in filming, so he had to take it as it came.

Yuan Ye didn't stop him. He had to hurry up and finish filming so he could rest more comfortably. He chose the scenes he could still film first, even if it meant filming fewer scenes each day. At least the progress of the production wouldn't come to a complete halt.

Now, except for Fang Shaoyi's scenes, everything else had been completed. The director had almost finished editing, but it was all stuck on this last part.

The crew of Yuan Ye's film had also finished up. Yuan Ye had called director Lin Feng and Feng Leizi afterwards. He had left the crew behind suddenly, in such a hurry. But who wouldn't understand such a situation, especially Feng Leizi, He had known Yuan Ye for so many years and understood his relationship with Fang Shaoyi.

Yuan Ye didn't say much about the situation. He didn't mention his abrupt departure or say any empty pleasantries. Every conversation was about proper business, straightforward and to the point. The situation was as such, and there was no need to compare the importance between Fang Shaoyi and the film.

Before leaving, Yuan Ye had said goodbye to the director and mentioned that he couldn't continue with the project. He didn't mention anything else, only saying, \"We'll talk about the rest later.\" In reality, Yuan Ye had returned all the fees he had received for the project from the beginning until now.

Feng Leizi immediately transferred the money back to him. Yuan Ye had already completed the entire script, and his work could have ended there. However, the contract required him to continue working with the crew. If he had removed that clause back then, it wouldn't have been a big deal.

Feng Leizi said on the phone, \"Who are you working with, old bro? It's too much if you do this with me.\"

Yuan Ye laughed and replied, \"This is a different matter.\"

\"That's not how it works,\" Feng Leizi lowered his voice and scolded, \"Did someone make you stupid? Being part of the crew or not, it's not a big deal. How many people who are just listed as part of the crew actually stick with it until the end? And you even refund me? Are you the only righteous one? Do you think you're doing it for me or for the director? Only the f*cking investors are getting a good deal, are you out of your mind?\"

Yuan Ye didn't want to argue about it anymore, he was determined to do this. Later, Feng Leizi simply deducted the balance of his wages, which was the remuneration for being part of the crew. But without Yuan Ye there, there were unexpectedly still many issues, and occasionally Feng Leizi would call him for a video conference that would last until midnight. After all, Yuan Ye was the one who came up with the script, and his opinions were the most valuable.

In order not to disturb Fang Shaoyi's rest, Yuan Ye went to Ji Xiaotao's room to make the phone call. Fang Shaoyi woke up in the middle of the night and he was gone, and he also couldn't reach Yuan Ye on the phone, so he went to knock on the door in his pajamas.

Ji Xiaotao was sound asleep in bed. Yuan Ye was sitting on the chair and wearing earphones, and stood up to open the door. When he saw Fang Shaoyi, he took off his earphones and asked him softly, \"What's wrong?\"

Ji Xiaotao heard the sound of the door opening and sat up nervously when he saw Fang Shaoyi come in. \"What's wrong, bro?\" he asked.

\"Go back to sleep,\" Fang Shaoyi didn't even look at him. \"Nothing's wrong.\"

Ji Xiaotao quickly fell back asleep.

Fang Shaoyi glanced at Yuan Ye's phone, but there was no one showing on the screen, just a ceiling. He frowned and looked unhappy, \"If you're having a meeting, have the meeting. Why are you running to other people's rooms?\"

Yuan Ye thought to himself, is your assistant also 'other people' now? But he didn't argue back. He took off both earphones and whispered, \"I'm afraid if I talk, you won't be able to sleep. Okay, let's go, let's go back.\"

Fang Shaoyi took one of the earphones and put it on, listening to the argument on the call. He gave the earphone back to Yuan Ye and pulled him back with him.

Yuan Ye had to coax this adult-sized ten-year-old kid into going back to sleep again. Meanwhile, Yuan Ye sat cross-legged beside him, listening to his phone.

Fang Shaoyi lifted Yuan Ye's shirt and placed his hand on his stomach. Yuan Ye glanced over but didn't think much of it, and even reached over to touch Fang Shaoyi's hand through his clothes. Fang Shaoyi still had a furrowed brow and muttered with closed eyes, \"I woke up from a dream and couldn't find you, I was panicking.\"

Yuan Ye's temper had been ground away by Fang Shaoyi's every day, occasionally he would make him feel soft-hearted and tender-hearted like this. Hearing these words from someone like Fang Shaoyi's mouth made them even more powerful.

Yuan Ye's heart softened from his complaint and he pinched Fang Shaoyi's earlobe, then kissed his forehead while muffling the microphone in the earpiece. He coaxed softly, \"Alright, stop being so spoiled and go to sleep.\"

Fang Shaoyi was still dissatisfied and unhappy, \"My lung...\"

Yuan Ye immediately interrupted him, \"I know, your lung hurts.\"

Author's note:

Fang Shaoyi: My lung hurts.

Everyone else: My teeth hurt.

","published_time":"2024-07-29T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-07-01T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-07-29T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":808,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":69,"chapter_title":"Chapter 69","content":"

Fang Shaoyi's original physique was too muscular for the later stages of his role, but after being hospitalized for so long, he was able to fit the character perfectly. The only problem was his hair, which was now too short. In the film, the character had to have messy, unkempt hair.

Every day before going on stage, he spent a long time styling his hair and doing his makeup to achieve that decadent look. He deliberately made his complexion pale and sickly, and meticulously created the effect of dry, cracked lips.

The first time he saw him after putting on makeup, Yuan Ye couldn't handle it. He silently stared at Fang Shaoyi for a long time before turning around and remaining silent for a while. His hair aside, his pale and haggard face immediately brought Yuan Ye back to the days when Fang Shaoyi was lying in the ICU. He could only visit him for ten minutes in the morning and evening, and spent the rest of his time pacing back and forth in the hallway.

The emotions stirred up were not just from memories of that time, but the makeup also easily caused a person's imagination to become active.

Fang Shaoyi was born to be a dazzling person, and he might shine for his whole life. He may never have this disheveled appearance again, but Yuan Ye couldn't help but think about what he would look like when he got old.

\"Does Yuan-laoshi think it's okay?\" the makeup artist asked her.

\"Sure, looks good,\" said Yuan Ye as he gazed at Fang Shaoyi in the mirror. They had exchanged this kind of look many times before.

The first time was when they were both seventeen and went to play on a film set. Everything was new and exciting back then, and Fang Shaoyi looked even more handsome after putting on makeup. Yuan Ye laughed heartily at him, and Fang Shaoyi responded with a gentle smile that was only meant for him.

Now, Fang Shaoyi in the mirror looked old and worn out, and after a long silence, Yuan Ye tugged at the corners of his mouth and gave him a faint smile. Fang Shaoyi's response was not just the warm and gentle acceptance from before, but also represented the many years they had spent together.

Two pairs of eyes met, as if they had lived their entire lives under each other's gaze, slowly and unconsciously.

There was a scene where Fang Shaoyi had to climb a tree, tie a cloth strip, and jump down, then fall to the ground and roll over. The director arranged a stunt double for him without even asking, and Fang Shaoyi wouldn't even be allowed to try if he wanted to.

His health was now the top priority for the crew, enjoying a level of treatment he had never experienced before. In the past, Fang Shaoyi only used a stunt double for intimate scenes, rarely for action scenes. He wasn't even allowed sometimes to have a stunt double when jumping off a building or parachuting.

But now, they didn't even dare to let him jump off a tree.

That's just the way it is, the movie star is too delicate now.

Yuan Ye had previously fallen from the tree and watching this scene, he could still feel a faint pain in his ankle. He walked over to the tree and patted its trunk, laughing as he said, \"We spend every day cultivating our relationship, but it seems like you haven't cultivated any feelings for me. You really didn't hold back when you threw me off, huh?\"

The director overheard and said to him, \"You call that cultivating a relationship? Don't you just sleep on top of it?\"

Yuan Ye turned back to the director and said, \"Isn't that cultivating? It's just heartless and disloyal.\"

The director wasn't idle enough to argue with him and ignored him. Fang Shaoyi took on the scene of rolling on the ground himself. After rolling once, he sat up and stared blankly at the camera for two seconds before standing up and looking up at the cloth he had just tied.

This type of scene is not difficult to perform, and Fang Shaoyi would always have a good grasp of the film. After experiencing this ordeal, his state has become even more stable.

When he's not filming, Fang Shaoyi has to wear a mask and stay away from crowds as much as possible. Ji Xiaotao came over with a thermos filled with chilled pear juice. Fang Shaoyi opened it and shook his head, saying, \"I won't drink it.\"

Ji Xiaotao immediately turned around, looking everywhere for Yuan Ye. Fang Shaoyi frowned, pulled at his mask, not allowing him to raise his voice, and whispered, \"You drink it, quickly.\"

\"I drink it?\" Ji Xiaotao refused, \"No way, if Brother Ye finds out, he'll kill me.\"

\"What's the use of this thing?\" Fang Shaoyi still frowned and didn't take off his mask. \"Just drink it quickly, or your Brother Ye will come back and stare at me again.\"

\"What did my Brother Ye go to do?\" asked Ji Xiaotao.

Fang Shaoyi shook his head. \"I don't know, maybe he went to make a phone call.\"

Ji Xiaotao had no choice. Fang Shaoyi didn't want to drink and kept pushing the cup towards him. Just as Ji Xiaotao was about to take a sip, Yuan Ye pinched his neck from behind. Actually, Yuan Ye didn't have any intentions. He thought Ji Xiaotao was just drinking water normally, but Ji Xiaotao was guilty and his shoulders trembled.

Yuan Ye could easily read the situation. He glared at Ji Xiaotao for being so useless. Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and sniffed the cup. Fang Shaoyi reached out to Ji Xiaotao and said to Yuan Ye, \"He stole my stuff.\"

\"Hmm?\" Yuan Ye looked at the two of them. \"He didn't let you drink it?\"

Fang Shaoyi nodded: \"Yeah.\"

Yuan Ye took the cup from Ji Xiaotao's hand and handed it to Fang Shaoyi, saying, \"I snatched it back for you, drink up.\"

Ever since he was discharged from the hospital, Fang Shaoyi had become difficult to manage. He wouldn't drink water properly and would do whatever he wanted, becoming temperamental.

This was a problem that only arose after he was injured. Before that, he didn't care about these small things at all and was too lazy to talk about them. By the time he finished talking, he would have already finished drinking.

Now, if he couldn't complete the task of drinking water, Yuan Ye would make him drink pear juice instead. It was brewed with rock sugar and then chilled, which was good for the lungs. After drinking it for a few days, Fang Shaoyi didn't even like it anymore and tried to find ways to avoid it.

\"Tonight, I'll brew it for you. Don't like the one that Xiaotao made?\" Yuan Ye asked him.

Fang Shaoyi could only nod. Yuan Ye reached out and took off his mask, saying, \"Drink up.\"

Fang Shaoyi started drinking the pear juice. Yuan Ye sat beside him, watching him drink, while Ji Xiaotao squatted on the side, scrolling through his phone. He couldn't help but exclaim, \"Little Yang's face is really handsome!\"

\"Yeah, it's not bad at all. His face is smooth and free of blemishes,\" Yuan Ye replied.

Yuan Ye and Yang Siran had been together on the set of \"Hoarse\" for so long that their relationship was really good now. Yang Siran was not annoying and quite sensible. Yuan Ye casually asked, \"Where did you see him?\"

\"On the hot search,\" Ji Xiaotao showed him his phone. \"They're shipping them as a couple. Their show is really popular.\"

\"Who are they shipping him with?\" Yuan Ye asked.

\"There was a kid on the show, not from our company,\" said Ji Xiaotao, frowning as he scrolled through a few CP pictures. \"I'll make time to talk to him, it's okay to stir things up a bit, but it can't become a real thing. That would be stupid.\"

\"No need,\" Yuan Ye chuckled, shaking his head. \"He probably can't.\"

Yuan Ye understood people well, as that's exactly what was needed for his job. When Yang Siran mentioned Geng Jinwei, his emotions overflowed from his eyes, unable to be concealed. He truly had feelings for him. If he could be moved by any CP, it might actually be a good thing.

Yang Siran has recently gained a lot of popularity. The show he was on was originally an acting program, but during one scene, he showed off his singing skills and immediately became a sensation. His singing video went viral on Weibo, and while there was some company promotion involved, it was clear that his talent was genuine.

In the show, he was paired with a young kid who had starry eyes in the singing video. Yang Siran took care of him and they became a popular \"couple\" on the show.

The girls loved watching this, and the editing team knew exactly how to cater to their audience.

Even after leaving the set, Yang Siran still kept in touch with Yuan Ye, who would chat with him when he had free time.

One day, Yuan Ye sent him a message: \"Your Brother Xiaotao wants to talk to you about the CP.\"

Yang Siran replied quickly: \"Hello, Brother Yuan Ye! Brother Xiaotao wants to talk to me about the CP? What CP?\"

In fact, Yuan Ye was just bored without Fang Shaoyi around and was teasing him. He laughed and replied: \"The one in your show.\"

Yang Siran: \"Ah! They are so annoying. Their company keeps pushing me to promote it, but I don't like it.\"

Yuan Ye hadn't reply when Yang Siran sent another message: \"I have someone in my heart, after all.\"

The phrase \"someone in my heart\" feels quite romantic, and Yuan Ye smiled as he looked at the screen. Regardless, his feelings were worthy of respect. Yuan Ye had never asked about his matter with Geng Jinwei, but whenever he spoke about it, Yuan Ye would listen without probing further.

However, he suddenly felt the urge to ask, so he sent a message: \"Little Yang ah.\"

\"Yes, Brother Ye,\" Yang Siran replied.

\"That person in your heart...What's the situation with him now?\" Yuan Ye asked.

He rarely showed curiosity about other people's affairs, especially when it came to matters of the heart. But as their relationship grew closer, he couldn't help but worry. Deep down, he didn't have much faith in this years-long unrequited love, and his subconscious had already painted it with a tragic tone.

After sending that message, Yuan Ye followed up with another: \"I just asked casually, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. No pressure.\"

Fang Shaoyi knocked on the door, and Yuan Ye jumped up to answer it. Fang Shaoyi was sweating lightly and headed straight for the shower, taking his clothes with him. Yuan Ye didn't follow him in, and Fang Shaoyi called out from inside, \"I'm feeling uncomfortable in my chest.\"

\"Your script's changed?\" Yuan Ye laughed and leaned against the door, tilting his head to look at him. \"I'm done showering, you can wash up yourself. Hurry up and finish.\"

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his brow. \"You don't care about me anymore?\"

\"I wouldn't dare,\" said Yuan Ye, with one shoulder inside the bathroom and the other half of his body still outside. \"You'll be out of the shower in five minutes. Hurry up and wash, and I'll wipe your face for you when you're done.\"

With that, Yuan Ye ran off, there were still two messages from Yang Siran on his phone.

\"I'm not pressured, I'm not afraid of you knowing, Brother Yuan Ye.\"

\"Haha, I'm his lover now.\"

It was comfortable for his face to be wiped. Fang Shaoyi reluctantly took a shower by himself and lay down on Yuan Ye's lap when he came out, closing his eyes and waiting for his service. Yuan Ye blew gently into his eyes and said, \"You're really annoying now.\"

Fang Shaoyi raised his hand and placed it on his own chest without saying a word.

Yuan Ye laughed, \"You're just pretending.\"

After fooling around, they talked about serious matters. Yuan Ye used his fingers to give Fang Shaoyi a massage and whispered, \"Brother Yi.\"

Fang Shaoyi didn't open his eyes and responded, \"Hmm?\"

Yuan Ye pursed his lips and asked after a while, \"In future...what are your plans?\"

Fang Shaoyi's voice was calm and devoid of his usual playful tone as he slowly replied, \"Same as always.\"

Yuan Ye's hands didn't stop moving as he softly said, \"Many people speculate that you won't continue acting.\"

Fang Shaoyi still didn't open his eyes, but he smiled and held Yuan Ye's hand, rubbing his palm. After a long while, Fang Shaoyi spoke with his eyes closed, \"The me in the movies is your dream, right?\"

Yuan Ye replied, \"Yes.\"

Fang Shaoyi continued, \"He is also my dream.\"

","published_time":"2024-08-05T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-07-08T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-08-05T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":826,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":70,"chapter_title":"Chapter 70","content":"

Fang Shaoyi had never considered doing the behind-the-scenes roles in filming before, as he wanted to keep his acting pure. Those who had resources from filming many movies often grew a desire to direct their own films. However, Fang Shaoyi had never thought about this.

For him, acting was just acting, and carrying other identities on his back would inevitably distract him. Fang Shaoyi's method of filming was immersive. Every time, he would immerse himself completely in a film, and filming a movie was like dismantling and reassembling himself.

In an industry that has its ups and downs, with periods of popularity followed by periods of decline, Fang Shaoyi has remained steadfast for over twenty years. Filmmaking is his profession, and movies have always been his passion. Some people are born with a calling, and for him, it was always this. Fang Shaoyi was meant to be in this industry from the day he was born, and he has dedicated his entire life to it.

Everyone goes through a period of confusion and struggle, and Fang Shaoyi is no exception. There were times when he felt lost and unsure of his path, but he persevered.

Many people speculated that Fang Shaoyi would never make another film after his recent serious injury. Some gossip sites even went so far as to make predictions.

Director Wei once said that filmmakers must die in their films. It may sound exaggerated, but it's not entirely wrong. Every person who dedicates their life to making movies will experience a few near-death experiences, with very few exceptions.

Beneath the surface glamour of the film industry lies inevitable hardships and disasters. If Fang Shaoyi's film career were to end, it wouldn't be due to something like an injury, unless he was truly unable to move.

He has always been the pride of Yuan Ye, and that has never changed.

Fang Shaoyi has never faced a more challenging film than the one he's working on now. There are many difficulties, and many actions that used to be easy for him are now impossible. But thankfully, he managed to complete it in the end.

On the day of the wrap, the director gave him a thick red envelope. Fang Shaoyi held it in his hand and raised his eyebrows with a smile, \"It's quite thick, isn't it?\"

The director didn't say anything, but hugged him with one hand and gently patted his back, \"You've worked hard.\"

Holding a bouquet of flowers, Fang Shaoyi bowed to everyone, \"Everyone has worked hard. Because of me, every scene was not easy. Thank you for your hard work.\"

\"Don't say that, Shaoyi-laoshi,\" someone next to him said, and others followed, \"You've worked hard.\"

That day, Fang Shaoyi shook hands and exchanged words with every member of the crew. Although a wrap party was customary, Fang's health didn't allow him to indulge in food or drink, and the air at the table was thick with smoke and alcohol, so they decided to skip it. The director said, \"Come to my house after you go back, and I'll make whatever you want to eat.\"

Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied, \"Give me a call when you get back.\"

The director said, \"Take good care of yourself. We have a long time ahead of us. I'll remember what you've done for me, and I'll repay it in the future.\"

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and furrowed his brow, \"Director, you're being too distant.\"

The director laughed and patted Fang Shaoyi's uninjured shoulder. Then he looked out at Yuan Ye and said, \"Little Yuan has also worked hard.\"

Yuan Ye shook his head with a grin, still wearing his carefree expression. \"It's not that hard for me, I'm tough.\"

This film was a difficult one to make, with obstacles at every turn. But with Fang Shaoyi's utmost effort, it was completed and its integrity preserved. He had taken on the role in the first place as a way to help during a time of crisis.

After the accident occurred on set, Fang Shaoyi didn't ask for a single penny in compensation. He set such an example, and the two young actors couldn't ask for more. Even though he hadn't fully recovered from his injuries, he left the hospital and went straight back to the set to finish the film. His bond with Director Wei was evident, and Fang Shaoyi's actions were a testament to that bond.

There may not be a lot of genuine emotions in the entertainment industry, but there are still some places where warmth and kindness exist. Not everyone is indifferent, and there are still pockets of genuine care and concern.

When Fang Shaoyi went back, both of them felt a bit dazed when they landed at the airport. The last time Fang Shaoyi was here, it was when Yuan Ye had sprained his ankle, and none of this had happened yet. The company car came to pick them up, and Ji Xiaotao said to the driver, \"Come on, little brother, you get off and I'll drive.\"

\"Don't do that, Brother Xiaotao, you must be tired from the flight,\" the driver trembled, \"I can drive, and I drive pretty steadily, you can trust me.\"

\"No,\" Ji Xiaotao laughed, \"I asked you to get off, so just get off.\"

The driver unfastened his seatbelt and got off the car. Ji Xiaotao patted his shoulder and said, \"It's nothing, don't panic.\"

Ji Xiaotao dropped off the driver at the company first, and the two of them in the back seat fell asleep. Ji Xiaotao said to the driver, \"Go back.\"

The driver hesitated, unsure of what to do. His original task was to send each of the three passengers home, but now he hadn't even sent one back, and instead was the one sent here.

Ji Xiaotao shook his head and smiled, then closed the car window and left.

The other two passengers were already asleep, exhausted from the journey. Before the car stopped again, Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes, clear and alert. Ji Xiaotao took advantage of the red light to turn around and quietly say, \"We're almost there, bro.\"

Fang Shaoyi nodded and put on a mask.

When the car finally stopped, Ji Xiaotao turned off the engine, took off his seatbelt, and pulled out his phone to take a picture of the back seat.

Fang Shaoyi woke up Yuan Ye, saying, \"Brother Ye, it's time to wake up.\"

The call of \"Brother Ye\" came so unexpectedly that Yuan Ye felt like he might still be asleep even after opening his eyes. When had Fang Shaoyi ever called him that before? Yuan Ye was confused and still groggy from just waking up, so he asked in a hoarse voice, \"What's going on...why are you calling me like that?\"

\"We're here, don't sleep anymore,\" Fang Shaoyi said.

Yuan Ye sat up and rubbed his eyes, asking him, \"Did you just call me Brother Ye? Are you feeling okay?\"

\"I'm fine,\" Fang Shaoyi handed him a bottle of water. Yuan Ye took a sip and looked up to see Ji Xiaotao. He raised his eyebrows and asked, \"Why are you pointing your phone at us and taking pictures?\"

Ji Xiaotao didn't answer, but instead said, \"Brother Ye, give me a smile and a 'V' sign.\"

\"Like hell, what 'V'!\" Yuan Ye suddenly became fully awake and felt that something was off. He looked out the car window and exclaimed, \"Where are we? Are you two trying to sell me?\"

Fang Shaoyi placed his hand on Yuan Ye's head and shook it gently, then got out of the car. After bending down and reaching out to pull him out, he said, \"Come on, get out.\"

\"I'm not getting out, I feel like there's a conspiracy going on here,\" Yuan Ye thought these two were acting strange.

Fang Shaoyi wore a mask on his face, making it impossible to see his expression. He pulled Yuan Ye's arm and said, \"Get out of the car, what are you doing sitting here?\"

\"What am I getting off for!\" Yuan Ye didn't dare to struggle too hard, he was afraid of making any sudden movements and accidentally tugging on Fang Shaoyi.

He laughed and said to Fang Shaoyi, \"Your attitudes are making me too scared to get out of the car. If you want to sell me, just say it. I can even help you check the money. Why are you filming me non-stop?\"

After speaking, Yuan Ye pushed Ji Xiaotao's phone away and said, \"You little brat, you're just following your brother to mess with me. I can't deal with your brother now, but do you think I can't deal with you either?\"

Ji Xiaotao still held up his phone like a persistent reporter and said, \"Brother Ye, I can't help it!\"

Yuan Ye leaned his head out to take a few glances and figured out what was going on. The monkey was too clever for his own good. Now that he understood, he refused to get out of the car. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, sat firmly in his seat, and leaned his head back against the backrest, looking as steady as a Buddha.

Fang Shaoyi pulled down his mask and said lowly, \"Are you coming down?\"

Yuan Ye shook his head with his eyes closed.

Fang Shaoyi looked at him, he had been bending over for a while. He let go of Yuan Ye and covered his chest, saying, \"I'm in pain.\"

\"Don't mess around,\" Yuan Ye glanced at him, \"Don't pretend.\"

Fang Shaoyi stood up straight, took a deep breath, and frowned slightly. His eyes also looked a little uncomfortable. \"You just pulled me,\" he said.

What the hell did I pull? Yuan Ye didn't even dare to use any force and didn't push him at all.

But when Fang Shaoyi said he was in pain, Yuan Ye couldn't resist him. He accepted his fate and got off the car. Then he reached out and rubbed Fang Shaoyi's rib, sighing, \"...Fine, I've come down now. Don't be in pain, Fang Jiaojiao*.\"

*T/N: Jiao means someone pampered and frail.

Fang Shaoyi grabbed his hand and led him away.

As they walked, Ji Xiaotao kept taking pictures by their side. Yuan Ye said, \"Are you planning to make a documentary? That's enough.\"

Ji Xiaotao didn't dare to speak and held his phone carefully.

Yuan Ye had been to this place twice before, this time would be his third visit.

The first time he came with Fang Shaoyi to get a certificate, and the second time the certificate was a different one. It was unnecessary to say what they were here for this time. As they walked, Yuan Ye couldn't help but laugh at how much they were fussing around.

But as soon as they entered the hall, before even taking a step, Yuan Ye's laughter froze on his face and he couldn't help but exclaim, \"...My god.\"

In the hall, a dozen or so cameras were all pointed at them, flashing incessantly. Yuan Ye rubbed his head and shielded his face with his arm, whispering to Fang Shaoyi, \"My dear ancestor...What's going on here?\"

Fang Shaoyi let go of him, took off his mask, and greeted everyone.

\"Thank you all for coming, I've troubled you,\" he nodded towards the crowd in front of him, still holding onto Yuan Ye's hand.

\"Our relationship has been quite active these past two years. Today, I want to say a few words with the help of everyone's cameras and also have everyone bear witness,\" Fang Shaoyi's handsome face and steady voice showed no signs of illness, despite having lost weight.

\"We've never publicly talked about the two of us. It's always been everyone guessing back and forth, but there's really nothing to talk about,\" Fang Shaoyi said, squeezing Yuan Ye's hand and facing the camera. \"We fell in love when we were young, and everyone knows we got married. And after that we got divorced, you all know that too.\"

\"After the divorce, we went on a love travel show, which was really not appropriate. The show was something I wanted to do, and many people said I did it for the money, but it wasn't true, I donated all the money. I intentionally wanted to go on the show, I never wanted to really divorce him, so I went on it to see what he was thinking,\" Fang Shaoyi continued.

When Fang Shaoyi mentioned this, he glanced at Yuan Ye with a hint of a smile in his eyes. He continued, \"I was the one who asked for the divorce, and the one who forced him to sign the papers. We had many differences in our personalities, and the divorce was for us to better understand ourselves. I used the wrong method and paid the price for it.\"

\"Yuan Ye is a very stubborn person. It may seem like I had a harder time, but in reality, he was the one to accommodate me more over the years.\" Fang Shaoyi spoke too much and coughed twice. Someone next to him handed him water, but he waved it away.

\"In fact, at that time, we were both not thinking straight. Many things don't need to be divided so clearly, and even the most difficult problems have better solutions than divorce. There may still be many conflicts and problems between us in the future, but I believe in him and he believes in me.\"

Fang Shaoyi's hand was always dry and warm, and felt comfortable and powerful when held.

\"In the past, we always felt that there was no rush. Time was still abundant, and we could slowly love each other and grow old together. Marriage seemed like a formality to us. Having each other by our side side was more important than getting married.\"

\"I got a little injured while filming this time, it was just a small accident,\" Fang Shaoyi turned the ring on Yuan Ye's finger. He coughed a few times and his voice became slightly hoarse, \"When the accident happened, actually I didn't know if there would be a tomorrow for me. Those days, I felt regret in my heart. If my life were to end like this, Yuan Ye would not be my legal lover.\"

Fang Shaoyi spoke so much, without any flowery words. Every word came from his heart, and every word was sincere. Yuan Ye had been looking at him with his head tilted the whole time. The man before him was not wearing the white suit he wore on their wedding day.

He was now thirty-eight years old, already thirteen years older than that day. Yuan Ye had been smiling faintly the whole time, but as he continued to smile, his eyes gradually turned red.

As Fang Shaoyi looked into his eyes, he slowly half-knelt down, calmly and firmly asking, \"Can you marry me again?\"

Immediately, Yuan Ye also bent down, also into a half-kneel, his tight jeans outlining a sexy and beautiful line. Yuan Ye's mouth curled into a smile as he said in a hoarse voice, \"You're making such a big fuss, if I say no, the fans will tear me apart.\"

Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and asked, \"So?\"

Yuan Ye spread his hands helplessly and said, \"I can marry you again, but at least you need to be prepared. Did you bring our household registration? Did you bring the community certificate? Did you bring your divorce certificate? With all these cameras around... let's see how we end up today. Aren't you embarrassed?\"

The people present couldn't help but laugh. Yuan Ye said, \"Sorry, after getting injured, Fang-laoshi can be a bit wilful nowadays.\"

Fang Shaoyi remained silent, and Yuan Ye was already thinking about how to fix the situation.

Ji Xiaotao slowly made his way over from the side, handing his phone to someone else to hold so the live stream wouldn't be interrupted. He flipped through his backpack and handed each item to Yuan Ye one by one: \"Divorce certificate... household registration... community certificate...\"

Yuan Ye held the pile of documents, speechless. He still had a smile on his face, but his lips didn't move. He gritted his teeth and asked Fang Shaoyi in a voice only they could hear, \"Did you steal my things again?\"

Fang Shaoyi tilted his chin and pointed at Ji Xiaotao, saying, \"He's the thief.\"

As Yuan Ye stood up, he pulled up Fang Shaoyi and they headed to the registration office with their pile of documents. Despite being low-key individuals, their marriages were always events with such fanfare. While Yuan Ye filled out the application form, he whispered to Fang Shaoyi, \"Where's your ring? Do you want me to put it on for you?\"

Fang Shaoyi took it out of his pocket and put it on himself.

Someone laughed and asked him, \"Fang-laoshi, why didn't you let Yuan-laoshi put it on for you?\"

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and smiled, \"I should stop here for now. I don't even know how long I'll have to sell my pitiful act when we get home.\"

\"Does selling pity work?\" someone else asked.

\"It does,\" Fang Shaoyi nodded, reaching out his right hand to grab Yuan Ye's hand holding the pen. He helped him write down \"Yuan Ye\" and said, \"It works. Yuan-laoshi has a soft heart.\"

Yuan Ye had already gone alone with him, as long as Fang-laoshi was happy, it's all good.

Fang Shaoyi had planned this for a while. After all, there would be a long period of recuperation and rehabilitation in the future. Now, there's no harm in being a little flamboyant, anyway things will settle down eventually.

Facing the camera, Yuan Ye said, \"Don't be fooled by him. He talks big, but it's all just a scam. An out-of-date movie emperor chasing after a popular writer, my fans, don't fall for it. Did you see me wink at you? This is a kidnapping.\"

Fang Shaoyi turned his head to look at him and asked, \"Stepping on me? No matter how cold this movie emperor's popularity gets, it's not your turn to step on me, is it?\"

Yuan Ye sneered, \"The movie emperor's lung hurts, he needs to recover, and won't have any new works for a long time.\"

......

Just a moment ago, they were gazing at each other with deep affection, but in the blink of an eye, it became a scolding.

They exchanged words back and forth, teasing each other, but when their eyes met, it was clear that they were still the same young lovers who had loved each other for half a lifetime.

The author has something to say:

The main story has come to an end, so let's leave it at that.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

","published_time":"2024-09-17T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-07-15T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-09-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":844,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":71,"chapter_title":"Chapter 71 Extra 1","content":"

- \"Suddenly, a live stream appeared out of nowhere. What's going on? Did someone hack into the account?\"

- \"It's probably a hack, there's 2333 people already, my screen froze!\"

- \"No, it's not hacked! Isn't that Brother Yi wearing a mask? Oh my god, he's lost so much weight...\"

- \"Wild Concubine hasn't even woken up yet. What's going on with this live stream? I'm crying, seeing the two of them together is too good to be true!\"

Without saying a word, Ji Xiaotao posted a live stream on Fang Shaoyi's Weibo. Everyone who clicked on it was confused at first, but then they all exploded with excitement.

Fang Shaoyi's call of \"Brother Yuan Ye\" was too flirtatious, and he didn't give time for any awkward pauses. The chat was filled with \"ahhhs\" and \"hahahas,\" and new viewers kept asking what was going on. The screen was moving so fast that it was hard to read the messages.

As soon as Yuan Ye woke up, Fang Shaoyi and Ji Xiaotao confused him with their words. The person holding the phone even asked him to make a \"V\" sign. Yuan Ye replied with a sarcastic \"like hell, what V,\" causing the words on the screen to fly by at lightning speed. It didn't stop there, the speed only increased.

Fang Shaoyi held his side and complained that his lungs hurt, while Yuan Ye gave in and got off the car, saying \"Don't hurt anymore, Fang Jiaojiao.\" This was enough to make any fan of this couple cry for a year. They were so sweet and affectionate towards each other. Yuan Ye knew it was all an act, but the worry in his eyes overflowed. He wasn't an actor, so his genuine emotions were easily seen with just one glance.

The live broadcast of their wedding registration was too extravagant and playful, no one had ever done it like this before. When Fang Shaoyi spoke, tears filled the screen. They didn't usually show their affection in public, so when this somewhat aloof person opened up and spoke about his feelings, it was impossible not to be moved.

The chat room was filled with requests for them to have a wedding again, just like their grand wedding in the past. Fang Shaoyi smiled and said, \"We both have been married before, so we're keeing it low-key, and probably won't have another wedding.\"

Yuan Ye laughed coldly and said, \"Well, you're certainly keeping it low-key enough.\"

They had been teasing each other since they started filling out the remarriage application, and they still hadn't stopped.

- \"I cried my eyes out and used up a whole pack of tissues!\"

- \"The water of West Lake is my tears! Today, I will make the water level of West Lake rise by five centimeters!\"

- \"This is too touching, I really, really love them...\"

- \"Even if it's the second marriage, there still needs to be a wedding, we have prepared red packets, ah ah ah!\"

- \"Did you see Brother Yi holding Brother Ye's hand for his signature! Does anyone have a screenshot? Mine is blurry!!!\"

- \"Mine is also blurred, just like my eyes that are blurred with tears right now!\"

- \"But why did he have to hold onto Yuan Ye's hand for the signature? I hope it wasn't forced, but I dare not think too much...\"

......

Before ending the live stream, Ji Xiaotao said to his phone, \"That's it for now, I'm going to end it.\"

Gifts kept showering across the screen, urging him not to end the broadcast and continue for a while longer. Ji Xiaotao said, \"I have to send them home now. Mission accomplished. I'll report to Brother Ye toomrrow to accept my fate.\"

With that, he resolutely left the live streaming room, extremely cool and mercilessly.

It was no surprise that the internet was exploding with chatter. On the way back, Yuan Ye grabbed Fang Shaoyi's neck, his face twisted in anger. \"Are you bored? Are you recovering too well lately? What's with all the nonsense?\"

Fang Shaoyi turned the ring on his finger, smiling faintly without saying a word.

Yuan Ye was so angry he wanted to strangle him. \"You're so old and still playing these games. Don't you feel embarrassed? If there weren't so many people around earlier, I would have turned around and left already, big brother.\"

Fang Shaoyi shrugged innocently, \"Then why didn't you leave?\"

Yuan Ye was angered by him into laughing, but he couldn't do anything. He pointed at Fang Shaoyi and had nothing to say. Then he sat up and saw Ji Xiaotao sneaking a peek at him through the rearview mirror. He had been too busy talking to Fang Shaoyi and had forgotten about the little brat. Yuan Ye patted his head and asked him coldly, \"You've grown up, haven't you, Tao?\"

\"No, not at all! Brother Ye!\" Ji Xiaotao shrunk his neck. \"My brother threatened me with my job. He said if I didn't cooperate, he would either fire me or leave me in the company and not take me with him in the future!\"

Fang Shaoyi said lightly from the back, \"He's making it up.\"

Ji Xiaotao looked at Yuan Ye and said, \"I didn't make it up, Brother Ye.\"

Fang Shaoyi said again, \"I didn't threaten him.\"

Indeed, Fang Shaoyi didn't threaten him. For such a lively event, why would Ji Xiaotao need to be threatened? He wouldn't be happy if he wasn't brought along.

They annoyed Yuan Ye with their words, and he didn't want to care about either of them. He closed his eyes, leaned back, and didn't say a word.

After they were sent back, Ji Xiaotao helped clean up and immediately left. He didn't dare to stay for even a moment longer.

Yuan Ya only called his parents, and they already knew about the situation. There was probably nobody who didn't know. Yuan Ya was embarrassed on the phone, speaking softly and humming, \"Yes, we're married.\"

\"My aunt even called you?\" Yuan Ya laughed and said, \"Okay, just answer the phone.\"

\"Him? He's doing well, didn't you see him on TV?\" Yuan Ye glanced at Fang Shaoyi. \"If he wasn't feeling well, could he still be so active?\"

\"I know, okay, I'm hanging up now. I'm turning off my phone. If you need anything, call his private number. I'll be back home in a couple of days.\"

After Yuan Ye hung up, he threw his phone to the side and turned it off. Fang Shaoyi had already turned off his phone earlier and left only a private number, known to very few people.

Yuan Ye went to take a shower. He took off his clothes while walking and had already stripped completely before reaching the bathroom.

Fang Shaoyi was just about to stand up when Yuan Ye said, \"If you dare to come in, I'll punch you in the lungs.\"

Fang Shaoyi paused for a moment, then stood up without a care. Yuan Ye said, \"You stay there and don't move. We still have unfinished business to settle.\"

His expression became slightly serious, and after a moment of contemplation, Fang Shaoyi obediently sat down again. Yuan Ye went into the bathroom with a straight face, closed the door, turned on the water, and as the water hit his face, his expression softened and a gentle smile appeared at the corners of his eyes and mouth.

He was just trying to scare him. After letting Fang Shaoyi play him like a fool, he was pretending to be unhappy. It was all an act, there was no way he could actually be angry.

Fang Shaoyi had kept a low profile for half his life, but the few times he had been outspoken and high-profile were all for the sake of Yuan Ye. This time, he had done all this to give Yuan Ye an equal status in public, even putting himself lower than Yuan Ye. Because in the beginning, Yuan Ye had taken the initiative to stand up and take the blame for their divorce.

Later, the outside world always thought that Yuan Ye was chasing after him and was waiting to see him fail. If they had reconciled without saying anything, or simply said they had remarried, others would think that Yuan Ye had begged him to come back.

So when Fang Shaoyi publicly asked for a remarriage in front of everyone, he didn't tell a single lie. Everything he said came from the bottom of his heart. A good relationship should include equal respect, and what Fang Shaoyi least wanted was for Yuan Ye to be disrespected.

Could Yuan Ye not understand this?

After both of them had taken a shower, Yuan Ye sat on the carpet with only a pair of shorts on, his upper body bare, sitting very boldly with one leg up and his arm resting on his knee, ready to chat with Fang Shaoyi.

Fang Shaoyi obediently walked over and sat opposite him, asking, \"After discussing, will you help wash my face?\"

Yuan Ye replied, \"You can wash your own face.\"

Fang Shaoyi smoothly continued the conversation, \"I can't lift my arm for such a long time, my shoulder hurts.\"

Yuan Ye sneered, \"Then just leave it, don't bother washing it. You're not filming anytime soon anyway.\"

Fang Shaoyi didn't resist or say anything, and even just nodded his head. Without his pitiful act, he seemed even more like a victim. Yuan Ye knew he was just putting on a show, and Fang Shaoyi's acting skills were so good that he could use them in any situation. Despite this, Yuan Ye couldn't bear to see him purse his lips and remain silent, so he reached out and touched his chin, saying, \"Stop acting.\"

Fang Shaoyi looked up at him, and Yuan Ye continued, \"There's no one else here now, and our work has been paused. Let's take some time to talk things out.\"

What was there to talk about? They were sitting on the ground on the night of their remarriage, what was there to discuss?

Fang Shaoyi was extremely unwilling in his heart. Couldn't they do something more on the night of their remarriage? They were just going to sit there and chat without f*cking? Were they supposed to be this sort of old couple? Was he not supposed to be more assertive?

But he didn't say anything and just nodded obediently.

With his back against the bed, Yuan Ye leaned on it and rested his elbows on the bed, glancing at Fang Shaoyi. He asked, \"You said before the reporters, that you never really wanted to divorce?\"

Fang Shaoyi looked at him and replied with a simple \"Mm.\"

Yuan Ye chuckled once coldly and said, \"Liar.\"

Fang Shaoyi: \"No, it's the truth.\"

\"You're a liar,\" Yuan Ye retorted.

Fang Shaoyi raised his eyebrows and his expression became serious. He said, \"I didn't lie. Can't you tell whether I was lying or not?\"

Yuan Ye stared at him, and the two of them locked eyes, neither willing to back down.

After a while, it was Yuan Ye who spoke first. It seemed that Yuan Ye-laoshi wanted to bring up old debts now.

\"You even cancelled my car registration, even the property management doesn't recognize my license plate. What do you have to say about that? So, I can't come to this house anymore? This house has nothing to do with me?\" Yuan Ye asked him.

Fang Shaoyi had no idea what he was talking about. \"Why would I cancel your car registration?\"

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow. \"My car can't even enter the gate, it must be that the property management cancelled it themselves. They're certainly impressive.\"

Fang Shaoyi was confused. \"Aren't those two cars in the garage yours? Did you not drive them in?\"

Yuan Ye said, \"Don't act. This was when we were divorced, before we went on the show.\"

Fang Shaoyi furrowed his eyebrows. \"I really didn't do it, and Xiaotao wouldn't either.\"

Yuan Ye knew that Fang Shaoyi never lied to him, but he really couldn't come in at that time. Later, the two of them looked at each other, both feeling lost. Suddenly, Fang Shaoyi remembered something and asked Yuan Ye, \"When did you pay the property fee?\"

Yuan Ye replied, \"Who would remember that? When we moved in, we paid together for a few years, but I forgot how many.\"

Fang Shaoyi said, \"After you moved out, I didn't come back to live here. I owed fees for several months, and my car also didn't go in, it was Xiaotao who paid for it. This should be the reason. If you didn't mention it, I would have forgotten.\"

Yuan Ye blinked. At that time, he was actually a little upset about this matter, which made him feel sad when he came to pack his things. He thought Fang Shaoyi wanted to completely cut ties with him. But the truth was that he owed fees? This statement really made Yuan Ye not know whether to laugh or cry.

He was played by life's coincidences.

But there were definitely more than just one old debt.

Yuan Ye then asked Fang Shaoyi, \"You didn't want to divorce me, so you went on the show to see what I was thinking. Then why were you always picking on me during the show? How can we be good if you keep picking on me?\"

Fang Shaoyi glanced at him and replied, \"You started it first.\"

\"When did I pick on you?\" Yuan Ye clicked his tongue. \"And besides, shouldn't I be angry about the signature you forced me to sign? Shouldn't I pick on you?\"

\"Of course you should,\" Fang Shaoyi nodded, then said, \"But I was also very sad. Since you had already been thinking about separating, I won't be able to keep you. When you said you didn't want our love to become old and weak, that statement was too sharp. Is my love old and weak? How did it become weak? Before it truly becomes weak, I must preserve it.\"

Fang Shaoyi was logical and persuasive, poking at the soft spots of Yuan Ye's heart with every sentence. He spoke about what hurt them the most. But once they talked it out, the pain subsided and they could moved on. In the end, when he saw that Yuan Ye was truly upset, he added, \"And I didn't pick on you.\"

\"You didn't?\" Yuan Ye rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, too preoccupied to feel upset anymore.

\"'Can you still feel how uncomfortable I am? Can you?'

\"'Don't touch my suitcase.'

\"'Lacking love?'

\"Which one of those things didn't you say?

\"If you're coughing like that, how can I not feel your pain? Don't act like you're the only one suffering. Do you have gold in your suitcase? I wanted to clean your face for you, but you're scowling at me and telling me not to touch your things.\"

Yuan Ye grabbed an orange and threw it at Fang Shaoyi's leg, saying sternly, \"If that's the case, then don't bother cleaning your face. You can do it yourself later. Little Yuan won't touch your things. And you say I'm lacking love, but didn't you f*ck me regardless? You bit my mouth until it was raw. I think you were just looking for an excuse to do it again. Isn't it annoying, if you wanted to do it, just say it directly.\"

These matters were all remembered by Yuan Ye, one by one, without forgetting a single word.

Fang Shaoyi picked up an orange, peeled it, and stuffed a slice into Yuan Ye's mouth. He smoothly continued the conversation, \"I want to do it.\"

\"...Get lost,\" Yuan Ye said.

Fang Shaoyi sat down and slowly leaned in to embrace Yuan Ye, saying, \"Yuan Ye-laoshi, please forgive me. Let's not bring up old debts anymore.\"

Yuan Ye chuckled, \"Not bringing it up in front of so many cameras was already me being merciful.\"

Fang Shaoyi didn't say much, just rubbed against Yuan Ye and kissed his face and chin, silently coaxing him.

After calculating these old debts for a long time, if they continued, Fang-laoshi's lung would start to hurt again. Yuan Ye sighed and said, \"Forget it, let's forget these old matters, and talk about something more recent then.\"

Fang Shaoyi asked cautiously, \"Are there any recent matters?\"

\"Of course,\" Yuan Ye laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. \"A little boy knocked on the door in the middle of the night, looking for you, Fang-laoshi. He even wanted to give you a massage. How sweet, right?\"

Fang Shaoyi shook his head immediately. \"Nothing happened. You heard me, I didn't let him in.\"

\"That's right, you didn't let him in,\" Yuan Ye nodded, then furrowed his brows fiercely. \"But you still shielded him from injuries! You shielded him to the point of seriously injuring yourself, almost taking half of my life away.\"

Fang Shaoyi lightly tugged on his earlobe and twisted it, not daring to argue back. The injury was like a knife in Yuan Ye's heart, a bloody wound that he couldn't forget.

After a while, Fang Shaoyi spoke softly, \"I was wrong. But it doesn't matter who he is. You know me, I've never looked at anyone else.\"

Would Yuan Ye not know this? Counting old debts was just to talk about everything that had been bothering them. In the past, they had kept everything bottled up and it had caused problems. So now, they had to talk it out.

After talking for a while, Yuan Ye was tired of it too. He stood up and stretched his legs. \"Okay, let's stop here for today. These are the only matters I remember for now.\"

Fang Shaoyi grabbed his pants and looked up at him. \"Where are you going?\"

Yuan Ye looked down at him and smiled. \"Where else can I go? I'm just going to wash my hands. Don't I need to wash your face? Fang Jiaojiao.\"

As Fang Shaoyi let go, Yuan Ye went to wash his hands. Fang Shaoyi was very aware of himself and lay flat on the bed, waiting for Yuan Ye to apply the facial essence.

Yuan Ye rubbed his palms together to warm them up and then applied the essence in circles on Fang Shaoyi's face. He gently pressed between his eye and temple while saying, \"It's just that I have a soft heart. Otherwise, with just that time when you were so cold to me, you wouldn't have this treatment for the rest of your life. You're quite precious now, aren't you, Fang-laoshi?\"

\"I'm not precious,\" Fang Shaoyi whispered with his eyes closed. \"I'm not precious, and neither is my suitcase.\"

\"Is that so?\" Yuan Ye asked casually.

As Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes, he grabbed Yuan Ye's hand and gave it a kiss, before finally sighing and saying slowly, \"In my suitcase...there was a new book by Yuan Ye-laoshi, and in a notebook, there were dozens of love poems, very old, but I carry them with me wherever I go. If you touch it, it's like touching my heart...but at the time, I didn't dare let you touch it. I didn't know if you still wanted it.\"

Yuan Ye's hand was held by Fang Shaoyi, and he blinked his eyes, but didn't say anything. Touching what touching, in the end he felt like his own heart was being touched.

Yuan Ye was no match for Fang Shaoyi, who was at least a level higher. No matter how hard Yuan Ye tried to settle old scores, he was constantly beaten back. In the end, he softened his heart and gave in, especially when Fang Shaoyi used his charm to get his way. This was something he had become very good at.

At that moment, Yuan Ye truly understood how Fang Shaoyi felt when he said those words.

'Alright, I'll give you whatever you want. Is that enough? What else do you need? Just tell me and I'll get it for you.'

","published_time":"2024-10-17T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-07-22T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-10-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":862,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":72,"chapter_title":"Chapter 72 Extra 2","content":"

\"Wow, Brother Yuan Ye looks even more handsome now! Let's take a picture together and I'll hang it on my wall. You're practically a celebrity now!\" The girl greeted Yuan Ye with a smile.

\"Sure, let's take one,\" Yuan Ye replied.

Just then, Old Tu walked in wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with a large fluorescent yellow pattern on the chest. He had a cigarette in his mouth and wrapped his arm around Yuan Ye's neck, squinting his eyes and tilting his head. \"Why didn't you call me earlier? I almost went off this afternoon. If you had called any later, I would have been gone.\"

Yuan Ye chuckled. \"You're pretty busy, huh?\"

\"I'm working on a villa for someone. It's not finished yet. If you have time, come check it out?\" Old Tu said.

The girl next to him pinched Old Tu's arm and said, \"Hey, be careful. If someone takes a picture of you like this, they might think he's having an affair.\"

Yuan Ye shook his head and laughed. \"Nah, no way. Even if I wanted to cheat, I wouldn't choose this old guy. Your Brother Yuan Ye has a beauty at home.\"

Old Tu laughed and cursed at him. \"You're crazy.\"

Yuan Ye hadn't visited Old Tu in a while because he had been busy with work. This time, he came to eat and drink with his old friend. Since Fang Shaoyi had been injured his lung, they hadn't had any drinking sessions. Yuan Ye also didn't have many social events to attend, so he had been living a healthy lifestyle lately.

Today, Fang Shaoyi went to work, but Yuan Ye didn't follow him. He found a place to relax on his own.

Business was booming at Old Tu's place, it had become quite the internet sensation lately. The girl asked, \"You want a private room?\"

But Yuan Ye replied, \"No need, let whoever wants to take pictures take them. Eating meat in a private room lacks atmosphere.\"

Indeed, it was the smoky, noisy, and bustling feeling they were after. Old Tu led Yuan Ye to a slightly less crowded area and they sat on small stools. He threw a box of cigarettes at Yuan Ye, who picked it up and threw it back, saying, \"I quit smoking.\"

\"Quit again?\" Old Tu chuckled and asked.

\"Yeah,\" Yuan Ye nodded, \"I'm taking care of my lungs.\"

In the past, whenever he felt stressed or stuck while writing, he would habitually reach for a cigarette but there was Fang Shaoyi controlling him. But now, he doesn't need anyone to remind him not to smoke. He got annoyed whenever others smoked near Fang Shaoyi, not to mention himself.

Old Tu asked him, \"Did you quit drinking?\"

Yuan Ye laughed and replied, \"No, why would I quit drinking?\"

After having a meal at Old Tu's place, Yuan Ye was full and satisfied. Fang Shaoyi came to pick him up and waited outside for a while. When Yuan Ye came out and got into the car, he took off his jacket and said, \"I smell like alcohol.\"

Fang Shaoyi said, \"It's okay.\"

Yuan Ye had been drinking and was in a cheerful mood. He leaned his head towards Fang Shaoyi and shook it, saying, \"Smell me.\"

Fang Shaoyi couldn't help but laugh and kissed the top of his head, \"What's there for me to smell? Everyone else's hair might smell, but do you even have hair? You might as well let me smell your beard.\"

Yuan Ye cursed at him with a smile, sitting up straight and fastening his seatbelt, \"Why are you so annoying?\"

Yuan Ye had indeed been drinking, but not too much, just enough to be excited without getting drunk. When he got home, he took off his clothes, which smelled of smoke, and took a shower, leaving a faint scent of shower gel on his body. While showering, his mind had already started playing a little movie, and when he finished, he didn't say his usual nonsense. He wanted to put what he was thinking of into practice immediately.

When he went crazy, Fang Shaoyi sometimes couldn't handle him. He was all over the place with no rhyme or reason. Eventually, Fang Shaoyi forcibly held down his arm and asked him in hoarsely, \"Can you behave for a while? What exactly do you want to do?\"

Yuan Ye raised his chin and said, \"No.\"

He was just asking for trouble, causing chaos everywhere. Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow, realizing that this monkey had become too spoilt. He grabbed a tie.

Since his hand was dishonest, then he would just tie him up so he couldn't move.

.......

When he was dealing with the monkey, he was cold and domineering, able to control him. But when he wasn't dealing with the monkey, he was still acting like a cute and pitiful eight-year-old.

The live broadcast of Fang Shaoyi's wedding registration caused quite a stir online. But he didn't really care. He had been staying at home lately, not attending any events or film festivals. He's taking a break from the world, even having his director accept awards on his behalf. He told everyone that he was still recovering and needed to rest.

During the autumn, Director Wei Hua helped him collect an award, and Jiang Linchuan helped him collect another one. During the award ceremony, the hosts directly connected with Fang Shaoyi via video during the award ceremony, and he gave an appreciation speech. Both times, the directors didn't hold back on teasing him and everyone in attendance laughed along.

Fang Shaoyi didn't need awards, and in the film industry, he can still be considered as young. He had also never really cared about these things, there was still has a long road ahead of him.

After turning off the video, Director Wei still had a smile on his face. His gaze fell on Fang Han in the front row. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, \"Shaoyi...everyone knows that I was the one who brought him out in the beginning. At that time, Mr. Fang Han called me and said not to worry about whose son he was, to hit him hard when necessary, and not to hold back.\"

Director Wei chuckled lightly, his eyes filled with a distant light. He was a gentle and steady person who had lived his whole life like this. He spoke slowly and calmly, \"At that time, I was actually under a lot of pressure. Your own son, you weren't guiding him yourself, and you want me to hit him?\"

The camera swept to Fang Han in the audience, who was laughing heartily and pointing at Wei Hua.

Wei Hua said, \"Looking back now, it's already twenty years ago. I watched Little Fang step by step to where he is today. Actually, I asked Shaoyi before, how did your dad teach you? Shaoyi said, my dad didn't teach me, he gave me a sentence and let me figure it out myself.\"

\"He said: be steadfast, calm, inquisitive, and work hard.\" Wei Hua gave a thumbs up to the audience and continued, \"Looking back now, he really achieved it. He has the qualities of a 'filmmaker' and also the qualities of a 'good person'. I don't know how Old Fang evaluates him, but they say he's like my half-son, and at least I'm satisfied.\"

Fang Han just smiled, with semi-deep and semi-shallow fan-shaped lines around his eyes, and didn't say anything.

Wei Hua finally spoke, \"Movies are glamorous, with a world full of strange and dazzling beauty. Only a few people know how difficult this industry really is, and it has many unknown ugliness and coldness. After doing movies for a long time, everything except the art itself becomes numb and mechanical. But it's because of some people who have been working hard and persevering that the film industry, no matter how difficult, is always developing.\"

\"Thank you to these filmmakers.\" Wei Hua paused and looked at the trophy belonging to Fang Shaoyi in his hand. His warm voice was powerful at this moment, \"As the times change and generations come and go, movies have gone through many winters, but movies will never die.\"

The applause from the audience lasted for a long time, not just for the people he was speaking about, but also for Wei Hua. He himself had been an outstanding filmmaker for most of his life, a leading figure who had taken Chinese films abroad, stumbling along the way, and working hard to make the world see more of Chinese cinema.

He deserved respect, as did all those who had been silently pushing forward.

At the same time, this excellent filmmaker he was speaking about was standing in one of the company's studios wearing a suit, having just given his speech via a video call. As he took off his suit and walked away, he said, \"If you need anything while I'm away, just give me a call.\"

Ji Xiaotao held Fang Shaoyi's casual clothes and followed him into the changing room, saying, \"Brother, take me with you!\"

Fang Shaoyi changed his clothes without even looking back at him. \"I can take you, but you should ask your Brother Geng if he'll allow me to take you along while I'm on holiday,\" he said.

\"I'm not asking him!\" Ji Xiaotao paced beside him. \"He just wants to exploit me! I'm like the peanut being squeezed for oil! The sunflower seed! The soybean! Brother, you take me!\"

Fang Shaoyi put on his pants and said, \"If I bring you along, your Brother Geng will just call me asking for you.\"

\"You don't have to answer!\" Ji Xiaotao took the suit that Fang Shaoyi had just changed out of and carefully folded it. \"Brother, I want to go on vacation too!\"

Fang Shaoyi was annoyed and threw a line at him, \"Then go ask your Brother Ye, see if he'll take you.\"

Ji Xiaotao's face was twisted in a bitter expression as he whispered, \"All the paths you've given me are dead ends... Brother Geng, Brother Ye, neither of them are good people!\"

In reality, Yuan Ye was the most soft-hearted of them all. Usually, he was the easiest to manipulate in situations like this. Fang Shaoyi still had to consider Brother Geng, who worked hard for the company, but Yuan Ye was beyond his control.

However, Ji Xiaotao took advantage of Yuan Ye being asleep and drove them straight to the Civil Affairs Bureau. He even foolishly live-streamed the whole thing without Yuan Ye's knowledge. Since then, Yuan Ye never spoke up for him again, and their relationship was unilaterally cut off.

Ji Xiaotao could only rely on Fang Shaoyi to discuss the matter. Fang Shaoyi was indeed the easiest to talk to, but even if he said something, it didn't necessarily count. He didn't even do any work himself, yet he dared to take away someone whom Geng Jinwei trusted and was easy to command? Over at Yuan Ye's side, he was always humming and whining like a little cutie, what right did he have to speak?

Later, Fang Shaoyi heartlessly left without any consideration for their brotherhood.

Old Tu's villa was built, and Yuan Ye wanted to go over and stay there together with Fang Shaoyi for a few days. Anyway, the two of them didn't have much work now. A few of Yuan Ye's friends were also going, including Feng Leizi.

The incident with the crew last time counted as a favor Yuan Ye owed him, but their relationship wasn't based on favors. Yuan Ye had been helping him with scripts for free for so many years, and that's where their bond lay.

Old Tu was waiting for them at the highway entrance. As soon as their car arrived, he opened the door and hopped in. Fang Shaoyi greeted him, as they had become familiar with each other after he and Yuan Ye remarried.

\"Xuan'er also has a few friends coming along,\" Old Tu said. \"Don't mind them. I know them all, and they're not the type to make a scene. They won't say anything or take any pictures.\"

Yuan Ye laughed and looked back at him, saying, \"Did you let your girl infect you with her nervousness? Don't worry so much.\"

Old Tu playfully scolded him and then said, \"Just focus on driving. Before I came, she did keep reminding me that you two are both celebrities and not to let anyone take pictures of you. It made me nervous too.\"

Fang Shaoyi also chuckled and said, \"It won't be that bad.\"

\"Don't, I'm not a celebrity,\" said Yuan Ye. \"At most, I'm just the relative of a celebrity.\"

Yuan Ye, who grew up in a very down-to-earth manner, had to stay grounded. It was too torturous to have to constantly hide and be cautious.

The villa was quite large, occupying half of a mountain. Old Tu pointed the way from behind, and Yuan Ye followed. Old Tu said, \"They'll be eating over there later. Shall we join them? I might have to go over for a bit. They're all acquaintances.\"

Yuan Ye didn't mind either way. He said, \"You don't have to worry about us. I'll just take a look later. It's awkward to act like we're too high-class and have to be separated from everyone else.\"

Fang Shaoyi was a public figure after all. Yuan Ye himself didn't care about these things, but he couldn't help but care about Fang Shaoyi. Many people have a curious desire to get to know public figures, and they tend to ask a lot of questions. This can be annoying, so Yuan Ye definitely had to go see who these people were.

Especially since Fang Shaoyi was not just an ordinary little star, but someone with a lot of status. Yuan Ye usually paid attention to these things.

\"Mm, they're all reliable people, it should be comfortable to be around them,\" said Old Tu.

The villa was built by Old Tu and his friend, and they each had their own group of friends. Yuan Ye didn't want to turn it into one group on this side and another group on that side, which would make Old Tu and his friends uncomfortable. Yuan Ye followed Old Tu to say hello, and the first person he saw was Old Tu's friend, who was dressed quite casually and looked young.

Yuan Ye shook hands with him and said, \"Yuan Ye.\"

\"Lin Xuan,\" the other person smiled and said, \"I like your books, don't think I'm just flattering you.\"

Yuan Ye laughed and said, \"Then thank you.\"

After a brief conversation, Lin Xuan asked, \"I have a few friends here, can I introduce you to them? Do you mind?\"

Yuan Ye tilted his chin and said, \"Sure, let's go.\"

Lin Xuan led him to the orchard behind them and said as they walked, \"My friends are all a bit unconventional, they do all sorts of things, but there's really no one in the literary field like you. There are several artists, but they don't have much to do with literature.\"

\"It's all the same,\" Yuan Ye said.

\"Not all of them are illiterate,\" Lin Xuan laughed and said, \"There's a highly educated person, he's a professor, a people's teacher.\"

As they were walking, before Yuan Ye could even reply, they saw a person. The person was on the phone, head down, but when they heard Yuan Ye and Lin Xuan approaching, they smiled and lifted their arm in greeting. Lin Xuan raised his chin and said to Yuan Ye, \"The people's teacher.\"

The people's teacher put away his phone and walked towards them. Yuan Ye whistled in his mind, thinking he was quite the handsome teacher. But he kept a serious expression on his face.

The person across from them walked over and extended his hand, smiling warmly. \"Yuan Ye-laoshi? It's an honour. I'm Xiao Ke.\"

Yuan Ye shook his hand and then shook his head. \"No, I'm not a teacher. Don't embarrass me.\"

Lin Xuan chimed in, \"It's okay, you're both teachers, both of you are enough to teach us. Who's older between you two? Xiao Ke is the youngest among us.\"

Xiao Ke revealed his age and Yuan Ye said, \"I'm older.\"

Xiao Ke laughed and said, \"Then I'll call you Brother Yuan Ye.\"

He was a very pleasant person to be around and easy on the eyes. Yuan Ye followed them into a strawberry greenhouse where several people were squatting while eating strawberries. Lin Xuan said, \"Stop eating, let me introduce a friend, Yuan Ye.\"

\"F*ck, I know him!\" exclaimed the person in the suede jacket closest to them, jumping up. \"Why didn't you say so earlier? I could have prepared a little.\"

\"Don't be ridiculous, he's already married, don't you know?\" Lin Xuan scolded him. \"Stop being so inappropriate.\"

\"Damn it,\" the person replied. \"Of course I know, who doesn't? I've been envious for months now.\"

Lin Xuan said to Yuan Ye, \"This is Cao Yuan'er, you can call him Old Cao. He's good at handicrafts.\"

He pointed to the remaining few and said to Yuan Ye, \"Old Zhu, Fang Xi, Zhou Zui.\" Then he leaned in and said, \"He's with Xiao Ke. Over there, the ones sticking together are Zhou Zui's little brother and his partner, both kids.\"

Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Xiao Ke. Xiao Ke heard them talking and nodded with a smile, \"Yes, that's my Zhou-laushi, he's a tattoo artist. We're a couple. The bald one is my little brother Xiao Bei, and his friend is Lin Cheng. They're always sticking together. You won't even get their attention unless you go up to them.\"

The group eating strawberries over there walked over, and Yuan Ye greeted them. Zhou Zui was the closest away and didn't eat any, but he brought a small bowl over to Xiao Ke. Inside were bright red strawberries. He shook hands with Yuan Ye and spoke in a low voice, \"Zhou Zui.\"

\"Yuan Ye.\"

They had the same hairstyle, but their personalities were completely different. Xiao Ke picked up a strawberry and ate it, saying, \"These strawberries are really good.\"

They were all pretty straightforward people, so there wasn't much to say. Later, when Fang Shaoyi met them, no one acted differently. At most, when they greeted each other, they would say \"I like your movies.\"

During dinner, everyone was gathered around a big table, including Feng Leizi and his group, with more than ten people. When men sit at a table with alcohol, there's no such thing as being unfamiliar. Whe successful people from all walks of life come together, even if they come from different circles, they always have something to talk about. Once they've had a drink together, they become friends.

Yuan Ye ordered a pot of tea for Fang Shaoyi, while Zhou Zui ordered a pot of soy milk for Xiao Ke. Even little brother Lin Cheng could drink beer with them, and the whole table had just these two delicate drinkers.

Xiao Ke said to the person next to him, \"That's enough, Zhou-laoshi. I can drink, you don't need to go to that extent.\"

Zhou Zui nodded and said, \"Drinking too much will give you stomach pain.\"

Meanwhile, Fang Shaoyi said to Yuan Ye, \"I can drink.\"

Under the table, Yuan Ye patted his leg and said, \"That stuff burns your heart and lungs. Let's not drink it. We'll have tea instead.\"

The drinking party went on until midnight. Halfway through, Lu Xiaobei led Lin Cheng back to their room to sleep. The people at the table were all in their thirties and forties, and Lin Cheng couldn't really join in their conversations. He was still a college student and could only follow along with a silly smile.

After a few beers, Lu Xiaobei wouldn't let him drink anymore. Lin Cheng quietly called him \"brother\" to discuss it, but Lu Xiaobei pretended to be unhappy and Lin Cheng immediately became obedient. He ate some food and leaned over to say with a smile, \"Brother, let's go back? Go back and do this and that.\"

Lu Xiaobei raised an eyebrow and asked, \"Do what?\"

With alcohol fueling his courage, Lin Cheng's already red face became even redder as he playfully said, \"That ah.\"

With a mischievous grin on half of his mouth and a bald head, Lu Xiaobei looked at him sideways, looking quite naughty. He stood up, holding his glass and said, \"You guys drink up, big brothers. We'll head back to sleep first. Little Bean has a regular schedule and gets sleepy.\"

Lu Xiaobei finished his drink and took Lin Cheng's hand, walking away. Lin Cheng looked back at Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye as they walked, feeling a bit shy. After all he was still young, and meeting people he had only seen online felt a bit new and exciting.

Fang Shaoyi didn't drink and met Lin Cheng's gaze. Lin Cheng felt a bit embarrassed and shrunk his neck. Fang Shaoyi smiled warmly at him and Lin Cheng felt like he was melting.

\"My god, I must be guilty, right?\" Lin Cheng turned around and muttered as he walked. \"Brother, Fang Shaoyi just smiled at me earlier, and my heart trembled when he did. He looks so handsome when he smiles, like a star.\"

Liu Xiaobei raised an eyebrow at him. \"So what? Do you want me to bring you back there?\"

Lin Cheng quickly shook his head and leaned in close to him, their arms touching. He smiled sweetly and said, \"No, you're my idol.\"

\"Oh,\" Liu Xiaobei said with little expression. \"Is that so?\"

\"Yes, you're my husband,\" Lin Cheng said, holding his hand.

Liu Xiaobei pulled him back into the room, half-smiling. \"No rush, let's wait a bit before you call me that again.\"

\"Doesn't hurt to call you that now,\" Lin Cheng muttered, either intentionally or genuinely foolish, as he kept saying \"husband, husband\" nonstop. Lu Xiaobei glanced at him, and Lin Cheng smiled so much that his eyes curved, calling out again, \"Husband!\"

\"Uh-huh,\" Lu Xiaobei gritted his teeth and pushed open the door, shoving the clean-cut young man inside before following and closing the door behind him. \"You really didn't drink for nothing.\"

The two youngest had left, leaving the older brothers at the table with no boundaries. They didn't mind Lu Xiaobei, that little baldy's integrity had long since been eaten by a dog, but they were worried about corrupting the young college student whose thoughts were still pure. Old Cao had been holding back his dirty talk for a long time and now he and Fang Xi were competing to see who could be more vulgar.

After a while, Old Cao looked towards Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye, then towards Zhou Zui and Xiao Ke, and clicked his tongue, \"No, seriously, what's wrong with you guys? Don't you realize you're duplicating resources? With the shortage of resources, why don't you come out and share them? You're wasting good things.\"

Fang Xi didn't understand, but Xiao Ke laughed first, and Zhou Zui didn't even bother to respond, not even giving him any facial expression. Fang Xi said, \"He's just lacking a good f*ck, shouting here for attention. He's been lacking love for years, don't mind him.\"

Feng Leizi was also drunk and jokingly said to the two of them, \"Why don't you two integrate your resources? Don't keep thinking about someone who already has a family and a mouth to feed.\"

\"That won't work,\" Old Cao shook his head. \"Their side's very picky, ours won't cut it. We'll be staring at each other and enduring it, won't we?\"

This person's salaciousness made everyone at the table laugh, even Fang Shaoyi. He raised his hand and lightly scratched the back of Yuan Ye's head, likeing the relaxed and happy smile on Yuan Ye's face. Fang Shaoyi thought to himself, you only see him as mature now, that's why you all feel this way. You haven't seen how lively and clever he was when he was young, like a little monkey.

Yuan Ye reached out and lightly scratched Fang Shaoyi's hand, exchanging a glance with him, then whispered, \"Are you tired? Shall I take you back to rest?\"

\"No,\" Fang Shaoyi shook his head. \"Let's keep chatting.\"

Among these people, the one Yuan Ye first added on WeChat was Xiao Ke. At the dinner table, the two of them went outside to get some fresh air and scanned each other's QR codes.

\"Let's hang out when we have time,\" Yuan Ye said.

\"Sure thing,\" Xiao Ke replied with a smile.

After they returned to the table, the party was almost over and it was already midnight. It was rare for Fang Shaoyi to attend such gatherings, as he had very few friends outside of his industry circle. Even within the circle, he only had a handful of close friends, which made him seem distant and unapproachable.

Yuan Ye, on the other hand, had many friends and attended such gatherings frequently. Occasionally, Fang Shaoyi would join him and it always felt refreshing. It's scary for lovers if they can't penetrate each other's social circles.

After finishing his shower, Fang Shaoyi stepped out and was followed by Yuan Ye. When Yuan Ye finished and saw a small ring by the sink, he raised an eyebrow.

\"What's the meaning of this?\" He held it it and came out to ask Fang Shaoyi.

Fang Shaoyi looked at him: \"What are you talking about?\"

\"Keep on acting.\" Yuan Ye laughed and threw himself onto the bed, revealing Fang Shaoyi's ring in his palm.

Fang Shaoyi was surprised and looked at his own hand, realizing, \"I took it off during my shower. I forgot.\"

Yuan Ye smirked and teased him, \"Your acting is too exaggerated, Fang-laoshi.\"

Fang Shaoyi calmly replied: \"I put it on myself so I'm always worried about taking it off, and after taking it off I forget to put it back on. Who knows if one day I might lose it.\"

Yuan Ye buried his head in the pillow and rubbed it vigorously, wondering how to deal with his lover constantly acting spoilt. After burying his head, he happily grabbed Fang Shaoyi's hand, slipped a ring onto his ring finger, and kissed it gently.

\"Enough,\" Yuan Ye rolled over and lay down, \"is this enough now?\"

\"I don't know,\" Fang Shaoyi turned off the light, \"anyway if you're not sincere, it will fall off.\"

\"I'm sincere!\" Yuan Ye quickly replied, \"Stop messing around. Don't let it fall off. If you pluck it off a few more times, it might really get lost, then how would we find it.\"

Fang Shaoyi remained silent, but Yuan Ye leaned over and kissed him, finally satisfying him enough to fall asleep peacefully.

The night lights outside were dimly lit, casting a warm glow on half of the window. The previous commotion had subsided, leaving behind a peaceful and serene silence.

It's time to sleep.

Half the night is over, and there's a long life ahead.

","published_time":"2024-07-29T23:25:06.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2024-07-29T23:25:06.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2024-11-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":882,"novel_id":9,"chapter_no":73,"chapter_title":"Chapter 73 Extra 3","content":"

...Hidden, unspeakable, shameful hope.

Yang Siran tightly closed his eyes, and the scent of that person seemed to linger. The oppressive gaze made him breathless and addicted. He gasped heavily, trying to ignore the eyes in his mind, and obediently placed his hands on the piano keys, but his hands wouldn't listen and he couldn't press the keys.

This was the first time Yang Siran had such a strong desire for someone. His previously vague and blurry sexual orientation suddenly became clear. The impulse came from an unexpected accident. For Yang Siran, it was wonderful, a destined encounter -

On a winter afternoon, it should have been cozy. The sun should have lazily shone down at an angle, but there was none of that. It had just snowed outside, and there was no sign of the sun. Looking out the window, all one could feel was the cold.

On Sunday evening, there were two evening self-study sessions. Yang Siran left early, as it didn't matter whether he was at home or in the classroom since he was alone. He wore a down jacket over his school uniform, making him look a bit bulky. His chin and mouth were buried in the collar of the jacket, revealing only half of his face. He had earphones in his ears, listening to English songs one after another, using it as a way to practice his listening skills.

As soon as Yang Siran stepped out of the door, he encountered several large marble steps covered in a thin layer of snow. The surface was as slippery as a mirror. He lost his balance on the first step and fell forward. He hadn't looked up and only realized there was someone in front of him when he stumbled.

\"This is so embarrassing,\" he thought as he closed his eyes. In that split second, he thought he was going to fall, but his reflexes kicked in and he reached out his hand towards the person in front of him.

What he saw was a smoky gray wool coat, and what he smelled was a mixture of light fragrance and tobacco. Yang Siran's forehead hit the person's shoulder, and he grabbed onto their arm tightly.

It was a very awkward position to be in.

After standing up, he felt a bit uneasy and looked up to see the person's face. At that moment, Yang Siran clearly felt his heart skip a beat.

It was a very cold face, with slightly furrowed brows and eyes that were neither friendly nor peaceful, but rather distant and indifferent. Yang Siran held onto the man's arm, and he gave him a slight lift, as if to help him up.

Yang Siran was shy and careful as he deeply bowed to the man, whispering, \"I'm sorry...thank you, uncle.\"

Even his voice was trembling, so nervous, and his heart was beating violently. His chest was hidden under his clothes, rising and falling secretly. He was only seventeen years old, and in that moment, certain emotions suddenly awakened within him.

The man across from him only glanced at his face for a second, or maybe not even that, before uttering a faint \"Mm\" and climbing up the stairs without a second glance.

A small unexpected incident that didn't even qualify as a subplot, just a minor bump in the road of life. It left no trace in the eyes of an adult man, but in the heart of a high school boy experiencing the stirrings of youth, it caused a huge wave that surged and roiled.

Even though several hours had passed and evening self-study had already ended, that wildly beating heart still showed no signs of calming down. Yang Siran sat in front of the piano and vigorously shook his head, trying to shake off the moment that kept replaying in his mind. That face, those eyes, were etched in his mind in just a few seconds. He felt a tight, painful sensation in his lower body, tormenting his nerves.

Eventually, Yang Siran sighed and relaxed his posture, letting his shoulders slump.

It was as if he had finally admitted defeat. Slowly, he withdrew his hands from the keys and secretly moved them down to his guilty desire... He had an inappropriate impulse towards an adult man. He really wanted to smell that faint fragrance again, the one that he could become addicted to.

His young heart had lost control from the very first encounter and had not changed for many years to come.

The mixture of tobacco and a faint fragrance in his breath had been constantly stimulating his nerves. His palms were damp, his brow furrowed, and his breathing was rapid. All of this was finally interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

Yang Siran's eyelids trembled as he woke up from his dream. The sticky and tense feeling on his body was still very strong. He had dreamt this dream countless times before, this fragment of memory. It felt cold, confusing, and truly like a dream.

He slowly opened his eyes and was met with a bright and expansive window. Suddenly, he jolted awake and sat up, turning to see the man from his dream taking off his shirt, still wearing his suit pants.

The man had tight muscles, broad shoulders, and a lean waistline, but Yang Siran had no time to appreciate it. He was holding the man's shirt, sweating from the vivid dream and unconsciously squeezing and rubbing it until it was almost ruined.

He knew that man wouldn't wear it again.

Yang Siran still clutched the fabric in his hand. He always did this, greedily taking one of the man's shirts to smell their unique scent, to let it seep into his dreams and transport him back to that moment with the man. It was perverse and shameful.

The man glanced at him with a cold expression as he woke up. He casually threw his shirt on Yang Siran's face before it landed on his own legs. A smirk played at the corner of the man's mouth as he turned and headed into the bathroom.

Yang Siran immediately got out of bed and followed him, barefoot on the floor.

When he emerged, his pajamas were completely soaked.

He went to another room to change into a new set of pajamas before returning to find Geng Jinwei sitting on the bed, replying to messages. Yang Siran walked over and sat on the carpet beside him, obediently quiet without saying a word, even his breathing was light.

After putting down his phone, Geng Jinwei glanced at his hair. It was slightly damp, but not completely wet, just a bit moist. Yang Siran felt his gaze and looked up at him. Geng Jinwei spoke up and threw out a question, \"Are you behaving now?\"

Yang Siran smiled and replied, \"I'm behaving'.\"

Geng Jinwei raised an eyebrow and Yang Siran added, \"I'm the best behaved.\"

As if to match his words, Yang Siran leaned his face against the bed, next to Geng Jinwei's leg, and lightly kissed his leg.

Although he appeared obedient and well-behaved on the surface, he was always holding back. Geng Jinwei sneered and stopped talking to him. He had just landed from a business trip for a week, slept for two hours after returning, and still had a meeting at night.

He didn't say anything and neither did Yang Siran. He went around to the other side of the bed and curled up next to Geng Jinwei. There was a dry warmth in the blanket that felt very comfortable.

He had just slept, and he couldn't fall asleep no matter what. Geng Jinwei slept for two hours while Yang Siran watched him for two hours. When Geng Jinwei turned over, Yang Siran leaned over gently and Geng Jinwei hugged him as soon as he lifted his arm.

Yang Siran smiled contentedly, feeling completely enveloped by Geng Jinwei's breath. He was so addicted to this feeling of satisfaction that it seeped out of every bone in his body.

Without needing an alarm clock, Geng Jinwei woke up before the two hours were up. He woke up to see Yang Siran sticking to him and moved his arm away as he got out of bed, saying, \"What are you sticking to me for.\"

Yang Siran smiled lightly and replied, \"It wasn't me who was sticking to you.\"

Geng Jinwei didn't bother to expose his childish lie, it wasn't worth mentioning. When Geng Jinwei finished getting dressed, Yang Siran took the initiative to serve him. He raised his hand to tie Geng Jinwei's tie, and Geng Jinwei slightly raised his chin without looking down, only asking, \"Have you had enough?\"

Yang Siran looked at him and obediently answered, \"I've had enough.\"

Geng Jinwei told him, \"If you've had enough, go to the company and apologize to Qi Zhao.\"

Yang Siran nodded and replied, \"I can apologize, but I don't want an agent.\"

Geng Jinwei lowered his gaze and looked at him for a moment before saying, \"You still haven't had enough.\"

Yang Siran remained silent, adjusting his tie and smoothing down Geng Jinwei's collar. He looked into his eyes and whispered, \"I really don't want it, I can't accept it. I want to focus on my work, to climb higher, to do better.\"

\"I'll accept any work arrangements, I'll listen to the company. But I really don't need an agent, I don't want to be under anyone's control... except for you.\" Yang Siran pursed his lips and lowered his voice even further, almost whispering, \"Uncle...\"

The word \"uncle\" sounded both tender and clingy, something he rarely did outside of the bedroom. It was a humble request, an obsession that couldn't be put into words.

Geng Jinwei's gaze swept over his face before he left without saying a word.

Yang Siran stood still, waiting for the feeling of Geng Jinwei's presence to completely dissipate before going upstairs to play the piano. He spent the afternoon with the person he had been thinking about, and even the songs he played were melodious and long-lasting. Music always had a breath, and it was transmitted through it.

Of course, Yang Siran couldn't have an agent. He could be very obedient, but he had a stubborn insistence on this matter.

In the end, for small stars like Yang Siran who had no status or resources, the relationship between them and their agent was one of absolute domination and submission. Yang Siran couldn't accept anyone else who could completely dominate him like that. It was simply impossible.

In his heart, he only obeyed Geng Jinwei, and that would never change. His emotions may be abnormal, but Yang Siran is content with it. Just like how his years of admiration and worship before may be incomprehensible to others, but Yang Siran was immersed in them and enjoyed them.

As long as emotions do not involve legal or moral issues, whether it is worth it or not is only a matter for oneself, and no one has the right to interfere.

Yang Siran's persistence has never wavered, even though he has changed one agent after another and is now in a state of being put on hold and forgotten, and may continue to be so in the future. He never really wanted to be a celebrity or act in movies.

He just wanted to be close to this person now, and being close to them occasionally is great. That's enough for him, even if he never acts again in the future.

It was just a pity that he could no longer be assigned work by him, nor could he be taken by him to meet with directors or anyone else, with a gentle push on his shoulder and a familiar introduction of \"this is my new talent.\"

It was a bit of a shame, but he couldn't compromise just because of these things.

Yang Siran couldn't always stay at Geng Jinwei's place. Every time he came, he was cautious. He knew the password and always carried a backpack and a baseball cap. Inside the backpack was a set of clean clothes and pajamas, which he would take with him when he left. He wouldn't leave any trace of himself there, knowing full well the importance of discretion in a relationship.

Being his lover meant being discreet, and he understood this very well.

He had to get permission from Geng Jinwei before coming over at first, but after a while Yang Siran would come even if Geng Jinwei didn't reply to his messages. He would wait obediently in the living room without taking off his clothes, but Geng Jinwei never really kicked him out. Several more times after that, Yang Siran started coming over without asking for permission, just sending a text beforehand: \"I'm coming over, let me know if it's not okay.\"

He didn't wait for a reply and wasn't chased away either. He used to be afraid, but later found that being Geng Jinwei's lover was quite easy.

On the first day of becoming his lover, Yang Siran was both excited and fearful. He felt a sense of dread whenever he was around him. But as time went on, he realized that it wasn't as difficult as he had imagined, and he wasn't as cruel as he had feared. He wasn't affectionate or gentle, but he wasn't difficult to get along with either. He didn't pay attention to trivial matters and never mentioned them.

Yang Siran was generally obedient, and even when he tested the waters, Geng Jinwei never scolded him. Moreover, he could feel a special treatment as his lover at the right times.

Every time this happened, Yang Siran felt happy. He didn't think it was something not worth being happy about because he had earned it himself. Anyway, he was indeed a little special, wasn't he? He was an easy-to-please person, and this little bit of special treatment made him feel overjoyed.

For example, despite changing one agent after another, Geng Jinwei didn't really do anything to him. Some newbies who didn't know any better would dare to act like this in the company without any foundation, but if it was someone else they might have suffered for it.

Yang Siran was not fearless, he was afraid of being severely punished by Geng Jinwei and losing his lover as a result. Yang Siran tried his best those few times, almost suffocating himself in the bathtub.

But Geng Jinwei didn't mention a word about it. He didn't say that Yang Siran didn't know how to appreciate kindness, nor did he look down on him for being ignorant. In fact, the company even assigned him another agent, which made Yang Siran feel that he was indeed being treated well, despite his anxiety.

However, he also offended this new agent in the end, and as Geng Jinwei had previously warned, this was his last chance. After that, Yang Siran stayed at home without any work arrangements. He accepted this, not because he was spoiled by the preferential treatment, but because he truly couldn't accept it.

Moreover, Geng Jinwei himself was also an agent, and Yang Siran was personally signed by him. When the agent was on leave, Geng Jinwei was the one who arranged all of his work. In a way, this was equivalent to him passing Yang Siran on to someone else.

Yang Siran couldn't bear the idea of submitting to the control and dominance of other agents, which caused him great pain.

Geng Jinwei advised him to think it over and then go to the company to find Qi Zhao, but Yang Siran never went. He was ready to give up acting and become a songwriter to make some money, which was fine because that's what he used to do.

One night, Geng Jinwei came back drunk and Yang Siran went to greet him at the door. Geng Jinwei was indeed drunk and his gaze swept over Yang Siran's face. Yang Siran leaned in for a kiss and Geng Jinwei didn't refuse. With a hangover candy in his mouth, Yang Siran used the kiss as an excuse to transfer it to Geng Jinwei's mouth.

Geng Jinwei frowned and asked, \"What is this?\"

Yang Siran whispered, \"Hangover candy, you can keep it in your mouth.\"

Geng Jinwei still frowned, but in the end, he didn't spit it out, but he also didn't keep it in his mouth. He just swallowed it. Yang Siran pursed his lips and obediently helped him wash, without being audacious again.

While washing, Geng Jinwei's hand unconsciously rested on Yang Siran's head for a moment. His voice was a bit hoarse from drinking, and didn't sound as stern: \"You don't want to act anymore, huh?\"

\"No,\" Yang Siran lay on his chest and replied, \"I want to act.\"

\"If you want to act, then why are you being so difficult.\" Geng Jinwei spoke with his eyes closed, his tone always a bit cold.

Yang Siran was already used to his cold tone and replied honestly without snuggling up to him or acting spoiled: \"I'm not being difficult. I can be very obedient.\"

As Geng Jinwei spoke, his chest vibrated slightly, causing Yang Siran's ears to tingle. He heard Geng Jinwei ask above his head, \"You want me to take you on, what status do you have.\"

Yang Siran immediately replied, \"I have no status.\"

Geng Jinwei said, \"Look at who I've taken under my wing. I've only been looking after Shaoyi these past few years. You want to be on equal footing with him? That's ridiculous.\"

Yang Siran's expression changed, and he stood up immediately, sincerely saying, \"I never thought that way, and I wouldn't dare.\"

\"You wouldn't dare,\" Geng Jinwei still had his eyes closed, speaking calmly, \"You may not dare to think about it, but others would. Who are you, for me to personally take you on.\"

\"I'm nobody,\" Yang Siran said, \"I...I was wrong.\"

Geng Jinwei had definitely had too much to drink that day, and he ended up telling Yang Siran things that weren't very pleasant to hear. His words were sharp and cutting, but strangely enough, Yang Siran didn't feel hurt by them. In fact, he felt a warmth in his heart. To him, Geng Jinwei, who had said these things to him, was even gentle.

Yang Siran was indeed obedient and well-behaved. After Geng Jinwei had said those things, Yang Siran didn't think about going back to acting anymore. He had never really been interested in it anyway. When Geng Jinwei asked him again if he still wanted to act, he simply replied, \"No, I don't want to.\"

Geng Jinwei looked at him for a few moments before finally stopping himself from saying anything more.

Playing music and writing songs, this kind of life is pretty good. He doesn't lack money, and the songs he created are worth some money if one day he sells them all. His Weibo account hasn't been updated much in the past few months, and he was almost ready to quit, but then one day he received a message from Geng Jinwei.

\"Come to the company this afternoon,\" the message read.

Yang Siran was surprised, but he went to the company early. There, he met his assistant and learned that the company was planning to have him star in a movie and asked him to audition next week. Yang Siran looked at Geng Jinwei in surprise and nodded respectfully, \"Okay, President Geng.\"

That night, in Geng Jinwei's house, Yang Siran spoke softly, \"In future, I...\"

Geng Jinwei said, \"Just let him follow you, and treat him as your assistant.\"

\"Will it cause you trouble?\" Yang Siran asked.

Geng Jinwei sneered and looked down at him, \"You're quite worried. If you have time, go thank Yuan Ye. Your Brother Yuan Ye helped you speak up, you do know who to keep good relations with.\"

Yang Siran nodded.

That night, he worked hard, as if using his body to repay the gifts from his benefactor. In reality, only he knew that his heart had been pounding violently all night. No one understood his hidden thoughts. He had lost his soul since he was young, and every little sentiment from the other party made him feel fortunate. Even if this was just the love of a wealthy patron for a obedient lover, it was enough for him to indulge in it.

Geng Jinwei flicked his ear with his fingertips, and this small action made Yang Siran tremble all over.

The love that had soaked into his heart over the years, the desires and longings that haunted him at midnight, made Yang Siran willingly bury himself in the ground to look up at the other person.

Apart from the initial conflict with his agents, Yang Siran had never had any disagreements with the company. His assistant acted as his agent, and he handled all external negotiations. Their relationship was pretty good.

He never gave him anything too difficult to handle, and Yang Siran himself was easy to work with. Yang Siran was a rising star, with good looks and a reputation that preceded him wherever he went. He had started his career with small roles in films directed by big names, but his talent had quickly propelled him to the forefront of the industry.

In just two short years, he had become one of the most sought-after young actors in the business, with a schedule so packed that he sometimes went months without returning to his company.

As he sat in the makeup room, having his hair styled by a professional, Yang Siran gazed at his reflection in the mirror. The mirror reflected a flawless face.

His assistant sat beside him, looking up from his work to ask: \"What's wrong? Didn't sleep well?\"

\"Mm, I'm just a little tired lately,\" he replied.

The assistant chuckled and said, \"Being busy is a good thing.\"

Yang Siran gave him a faint smile in the mirror and replied, \"I know.\"

He held his phone tightly, checking for any messages. As he was about to leave, there was still no response. Yang Siran unlocked his phone, opened the chat interface, and sent a message: \"I miss you.\"

The chat history was always one-sided, with him being the only one sending messages. The last time the other person replied was last month. Since last year, the other person occasionally replied to his messages, usually with just a simple 'okay.' But since last month, there has been no response, as if his messages were lost in the abyss.

The company has been promoting a young man lately. Yang Siran had met him at a show and he was truly young and handsome. The boy was in his early twenties and called Yang Siran \"Brother Siran\" with a smile. The company has been promoting him heavily, providing him with good resources.

Everyone in the company is saying that President Geng treats him exceptionally well, which is not simple.

After the French fashion show ended, Yang Siran and his assistant were on the plane back home. Now, there were no outsiders around. The assistant noticed that he didn't look too good and leaned over to him, lowering his voice, \"Don't think too much. There's no long-term stability in this industry. You've been with him for four years, which is quite long.\"

Yang Siran pursed his lips and didn't respond.

\"You're not the same as before. Even without someone, you can still stand on your own. There will be trouble, but you won't be crushed by anyone.\" The assistant had been working with Yang Siran for over two years, and aside from their professional relationship, they had a good personal connection, and could talk about private matters.

\"A child doesn't need to be taken seriously. Let him be. Everyone takes what they need. Even if we remove this layer of relationship, it might not necessarily be a bad thing.\"

Yang Siran couldn't keep the matter with Geng Jinwei from his assistant. It was no longer a secret. Yang Siran remained silent and turned his head to look out the small window. The clouds outside were thick and dense, beautiful but suffocating to look at.

Yang Siran landed and went straight back to the company without going back to his residence first. He knocked on Geng Jinwei's office door and heard him respond from inside.

Yang Siran opened the door, walked in, and gently closed it behind him. He looked at Geng Jinwei and called out, \"President Geng.\"

\"You're back?\" Geng Jinwei asked calmly.

Yang Siran hadn't been back for almost four months, and he hadn't seen Geng Jinwei for that long either. He walked quietly towards him, his eyes fixed on him, truly missing him. His status had become more valuable than before, but some feelings never change.

However, his steps stopped a few steps away from the desk.

He saw a boy sitting on the ground next to Geng Jinwei's leg. Yang Siran was caught off guard when he made eye contact with the boy, who even raised his eyebrows and greeted him.

Yang Siran stood still and pursed his lips, then nodded and said hello to him.

After leaving the office, Yang Siran leaned against the wall by the door and fell silent for a while. Then he let out a long sigh.

Inside the room, Geng Jinwei told the boy, \"You should leave too.\"

The boy was not willing to go and wanted to say something, but Geng Jinwei's expression made him shut his mouth. No one dared to cause trouble in front of him.

No one said a sugar daddy could only have one lover, otherwise it wouldn't be called a lover, it would have to be an actual partner. Yang Siran was prepared for this from the beginning, but he was lucky that there had been no one else around Geng Jinwei all these years.

When living in comfort, one tends to forget about things that were supposed to happen, which leads to feeling shocked and being unable to accept it when it actually happens. It's a bad habit that comes from living a peaceful life. Yang Siran looked at himself in the mirror and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

He was wearing a black silk pajama set, which made his skin look even whiter. When he sat on the bed with one leg bent, a glimpse of his fair ankle was revealed, creating a strong visual effect that made him look somewhat enchanting.

When he was moved by his emotions, he bit Geng Jinwei's Adam's apple, but immediately regretted it and lightly kissed it afterwards.

Geng Jinwei pinched his chin hard, causing Yang Siran to furrow his brows in pain. Geng Jinwei's expression remained unreadable as he asked, \"Do you have any grievances?\"

Yang Siran met his gaze without flinching and, unwilling to lie, honestly replied, \"I don't have any grievances... but I feel a little sad.\"

Geng Jinwei looked into his eyes and released his grip, asking, \"What are you sad about?\"

Yang Siran's voice was slightly hoarse as he answered truthfully, \"I'm sad that you're not just mine.\"

This was probably the first time Yang Siran had spoken so boldly. Even he couldn't escape this feeling after the good times had lasted too long.

Yang Siran hugged Geng Jinwei's neck and buried his face in the crook of his neck, affectionately calling out, \"Uncle...\"

Geng Jinwei rubbed his neck with his hand.

People who are usually indifferent can drown others with these slightly affectionate actions. Yang Siran closed his eyes and asked, \"Does he call you that too?\"

Geng Jinwei looked at him again, then roughly scratched his head a few times. His movements were not gentle, and Yang Siran had to open his eyes because of it. Geng Jinwei looked at the slightly reddened corners of his eyes and didn't respond to his question. Instead, he suddenly said, \"So many young boys and girls, why not give them a try?\"

Yang Siran immediately became nervous and blinked, asking, \"Did you hear something? I didn't. I've never done anything inappropriate. I'm clean.\"

Indeed, he was clean. After so many years, he had hardly even touched himself.

Geng Jinwei didn't know what to do with the person in his arms. Although he always listened to him, deep down he was stubborn. The determination in his eyes was clear, and it had never faded over the years.

That night, Yang Siran almost passed out, feeling completely drained. His palms were sweaty, and he wanted to grab Geng Jinwei's hand, but he couldn't find it. Suddenly, Geng Jinwei spoke up and said, \"Let's end it here.\"

Yang Siran blinked his eyes lightly, his eyelashes trembling. He couldn't even speak loudly, and he asked softly, \"...What?\"

Geng Jinwei plucked a fallen eyelash from his face and said in a deep voice, \"This is as far as we go. Don't come anymore in future.\"

Yang Siran was in the prime of his life. For some people, parting ways with their old sugar daddies was a stroke of luck. Most sugar daddies were generous and would give a substantial breakup fee, and in the future, they wouldn't forget their obedient little lovers.

Even Yang Siran's assistant whispered to him, \"This is a good thing. President Geng won't mistreat you. As long as you don't clash with Su Chen and don't openly confront him, we won't find any trouble for ourselves. Life will be much easier. You're not a nobody in our company now, just focus on acting and making money. It's better than before.\"

Everyone who knew about this thought that Yang Siran had hit the jackpot. His sugar daddy had been pampering him for the past few years, and now that he was famous, he didn't have to carry the burden of this dirty secret anymore. He could live cleanly and honestly.

But when Yang Siran first followed him, he wasn't thinking about getting himself famous.

Some things are like drinking water, you know the temperature best.

Yang Siran has been in love with Geng Jinwei since he first laid eyes on him at the age of seventeen, almost thirteen years ago. He willingly put himself in a position where he was trampled on by Geng Jinwei, just so he could love him.

Some may see it as pathetic, but this is just who he is. His emotions have always been this way, and he doesn't think it's any less valid than anyone else's. Love is not a competition.

However, this doesn't mean that Yang Siran has no backbone or self-respect.

Does he still like him? Of course, Yang Siran still liked him just as much as before. But he never went to Geng Jinwei's house again, nor did he ever stick to his leg in his office. When they met, he would respectfully address him as \"President Geng\" and at most, he would quietly look back at him for a few seconds after he left.

No matter how much he liked him, he couldn't be clingy. Being able to accompany him for a few years was already a blessing from fate. Not every crush could have a happy ending, and compared to many unrequited loves that ended in vain, he had already been too lucky.

\"Brother Shaoyi, Brother Yuan Ye,\" Yang Siran's seat was behind theirs, and he immediately went over to greet the couple. \"You guys look so handsome today.\"

\"We're not usually handsome?\" Yuan Ye raised his eyebrows and laughed. \"Is it that your Brother Yuan Ye isn't as handsome as before, or that Brother Shaoyi's looks can't compete anymore?\"

\"No, no,\" Yang Siran quickly said, \"it's mainly because you don't usually wear suits.\"

Fang Shaoyi also greeted him and whispered, \"Director Zhou is over there. After the event, go say hello. Last time you had to reject his film at the last minute, but he let it go. Don't offend people, just talk nicely.\"

Yang Siran has been in contact with them more often now and is quite familiar with them. Fang Shaoyi sometimes gives him advice like this. Yang Siran always listens attentively and remembers everything he says, and he then follows his advice accordingly.

There is no shortage of actors or young stars at the film festival. Yang Siran also saw Su Chen, who is said to be favored by President Geng and can charm people like a fairy. The smile of the young man is indeed bright and likable.

He called out to Yang Siran and spoke to him affectionately, calling him \"Brother Siran\".

Yang Siran was always friendly. Others who looked at the two of them saw a brotherly and respectful appearance, and they could probably take some photos and stir up some CP.

But Yang Siran didn't want that. He had already had many CPs in the few years since his debut, and he was often forced to participate, but he didn't want to do it this time. So when Su Chen leaned in closer, Yang Siran calmly backed away, not giving him the chance.

Having a CP between the previous and current lovers of the same sugar daddy, surely it was too awkward.

Su Chen didn't seem to mind Yang Siran's lack of cooperation and smiled, saying, \"Let me add you on WeChat, Brother Siran?\"

Yang Siran took out his phone and scanned the code. Su Chen lowered his head and whispered, \"The candy is delicious, can Brother Siran share a piece with me?\"

After adding each other as friends, Yang Siran pocketed his phone and said with a faint smile, \"Let's see if you have what it takes to get it.\"

The candy was indeed delicious, and Yang Siran had been carefully savoring it for four years. Now Su Chen asked him to share a piece, but it wasn't a matter of whether Yang Siran was willing to share. What did he have to share? He didn't even have any left for himself.

Yuan Ye knew about his situation, as Yang Siran had told him a long time ago. Su Chen was just as enthusiastic towards Fang Shaoyi and Yuan Ye, acting like a devoted fan. Later, Yuan Ye even joked with Yang Siran, \"Isn't this Brother Geng's new paramour?\"

He didn't know that Yang Siran was no longer following Geng Jinwei. Yang Siran smiled and said to him, \"Yeah, I've lost the person in my heart.\"

Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

Yang Siran let out a sigh and his eyes showed a hint of melancholy. He chuckled lightly and said, \"Youthful and lively, who wouldn't like it?\"

He finished speaking but Yuan Ye instead laughed out loud, tapping his head and saying, \"I'm not so sure about that. You can't even understand your love after so many years. Think about it carefully.\"

Yang Siran looked up at him and Yuan Ye only said, \"Think about it.\"

What else is there to think about? The person is already gone. He has been trying to understand this relationship for over a decade, but there is nothing he can't figure out. Only when he truly understood could he be so carefree, hold back from clinging on, and not mention the deep love from his youth to later years.

He had already figured out how to act as a greedy lover who trades physical intimacy for resources, knowing where to draw the line.

Yang Siran rarely took the initiative to contact him, only sending simple holiday greetings via text messages.

On Geng Jinwei's birthday, Yang Siran sent him a message: \"Happy birthday, wishing you peace.\"

Geng Jinwei replied with a \"Thank you.\"

Yang Siran looked at those two words, his fingers swiping back and forth on the screen. Despite his heartache and reluctance, he didn't know how to reply.

His former sugar daddy was indeed generous, with no shortage of resources. Yang Siran's position in the company remained unchanged, and he had access to plenty of good resources. The company even funded his film projects, and he landed luxury endorsements for top-tier brands. Every time Yang Siran received something valuable, he would send Geng Jinwei a message: \"Thank you, wishing you peace.\"

On Mid-Autumn Festival, wishing you peace.

Merry Christmas, wishing you peace.

Happy New Year, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, wishing you peace.

Geng Jinwei replied to this one: Happy New Year.

Perhaps it was because the fireworks outside were too beautiful, but Yang Siran felt particularly lonely in his room. He looked at the three words on the screen and couldn't control himself. Afraid that he would regret not sending it, he quickly typed out a few words and hit send: \"I miss you so much.\"

There would definitely be no reply to this message. Yang Siran wasn't the type to pester someone, and the other person wouldn't drag things out. Once it was over, it was over, without any lingering attachments.

Yang Siran was never lacking in suitors, given his attractive qualities. Male and female stars of equal status in the industry, younger admirers, and wealthy and influential sponsors all vied for his attention. With just a few words, Yang Siran could easily find himself a great partner, and there was no shortage of young and handsome options.

However, Yang Siran could never let go of his heart, which had been set on one person for many years.

He was an employee of Fang Shaoyi's company and under Geng Jinwei's control. Most of the time, he could avoid getting into too much trouble and keep himself out of harm's way. He didn't want to cause trouble for others, and they wouldn't make things too difficult for him either.

But there were always times when wealthy businessmen, drunk on their own power, would become too aggressive, and Yang Siran couldn't always extricate himself from the situation unscathed.

At the dinner table, he was caught in someone's trap. During the night, someone used a card to open a hotel room. Yang Siran was hot all over and panting, exhaling hot air. In a daze, someone opened his shirt. Yang Siran couldn't see clearly, but he only had to reach out and touched the person's arm to break out in a cold sweat.

He knew it wasn't him as soon as he touched him. If it wasn't him, it wouldn't work. He reflexively turned over and avoided him. His hands and feet were weak, but fortunately, he had a good foundation, and he managed to escape.

Yang Siran was in a daze and touched his phone, dialing the number that was engraved in his mind. The voice on the other end was hoarse and low, but not cold. It had warmth in it. He asked, \"What's wrong?\"

\"I...\" Yang Siran opened his mouth, only to realize that his throat was so hoarse that he could barely speak. The medication had messed with his brain and nerves, leaving him in a state of confusion and despair. He collapsed on the ground and said, \"I caused trouble for you... I hit someone.\"

\"Who?\" The other person's voice was always so powerful. Yang Siran didn't even know when tears had started streaming down his face. He weakly raised his hand to wipe them away and heard the other person ask, \"Send me your address and room number.\"

Yang Siran whispered in his rough voice, \"...I can only belong to you.\"

Soon, someone arrived. Even after they carried the person away, Yang Siran didn't know who he had just hit, nor did he want to know.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the shadow that had been engraved on his heart for many years. His features were still harsh, with no hint of gentleness. Yang Siran regained his composure and sincerely apologized, \"I'm sorry, President Geng, for causing trouble.\"

Geng Jinwei stood by the window and looked at him, asking, \"Is this your first day in this circle? You dare to let your guard down?\"

Yang Siran didn't argue and nodded, \"It's my fault for being careless.\"

\"You were careless?\" Geng Jinwei walked over, taking a few steps until he was close enough to grab Yang Siran's hair and make him look up. The ferocity in his voice made Yang Siran's heart tremble, \"You were careless? Are you sorry to me? Who are you being sorry to?\"

Geng Jinwei lifted his blanket and pressed his hand onto Yang Siran's stomach, exerting force as he spoke, \"You dare to swallow anything that's put in front of you? Can't even taste the added drugs, damn it?\"

The sudden touch caught Yang Siran off guard, causing his heart to tremble.

\"You're so damn arrogant, attending dinners without your assistant. Really damn f*cking daring now,\" Geng Jinwei's hand moved down a few inches, pressing harder on Yang Siran's stomach. The veins bulged on his forehead as he continued, \"If they added any more you'd have been done for. Do you know what that means? Are you stupid? If someone took advantage of you, you'll be carried out horizontally!\"

Geng Jinwei grabbed onto Yang Siran's hair and applied more pressure, causing him to arch his back in pain. Geng Jinwei gritted his teeth and asked, \"Where's your brain? I'm asking you, where's your brain?\"

He was really angry, and he often got angry with others, but this was the first time he was angry with Yang Siran. Yang Siran had never done anything to make him angry for so long, which was really easy for him. But this time, something so serious happened, if the culprit had really succeeded then the consequences would be unimaginable.

Yang Siran kept apologizing, his voice hoarse as he said, \"I was wrong.\"

\"You were wrong,\" Geng Jinwei let go of him, causing Yang Siran to stumble and lean on the bed with his elbow before stablising. \"You almost f*cking scared me to death, you idiot.\"

Yang Siran forgot to speak and looked up at him. There was still a bruise on his face from last night, and his complexion was pale and lifeless. He looked so pitiful and scared out of his wits.

Geng Jinwei reached out and pulled Yang Siran into his embrace, pressing his face against his chest. The hand that was placed on top of his head was not gentle at all.

Suddenly, Geng Jinwei's scent filled Yang Siran's nose, causing his mind to go blank. He couldn't think of anything else. His lips trembled and he couldn't speak for a long time.

His lips were pale, and his angry sugar daddy lowered his head and bit his lips until they bled.

For four years, Geng Jinwei had kept him as a lover. At first, only his assistant, and Geng Jinwei's driver and assistant knew about it. Yuan Ye only knew because Yang Siran had mentioned it once, and no one else knew.

As time passed, some people began to suspect, but Geng Jinwei's cold demeanor kept them from spreading rumors. To this day, Yang Siran remains clean and without any scandal.

This is what a true lover is. As for the rumors that have spread everywhere, they cannot be true.

Later on, Geng Jinwei pinched Yang Siran's chin and asked him, \"Do you have any idea how much worry I've put into you?\"

\"I do,\" Yang Siran nodded repeatedly, \"You've been good to me.\"

\"You do?\" Geng Jinwei sneered, \"If you do, then why are you so f*cking obsessed with me? Is there no other men in the world? No one else can give you a satisfying f*ck?\"

Yang Siran nodded obediently, with a look of innocence, \"There are men out there, but they're not mine.\"

\"I think you're just brainless,\" Geng Jinwei said.

Yang Siran leaned in, kissing and nibbling on his ear, his voice soft and full of love, not saying another word, just calling out, \"Uncle...\"

Everyone has their own choices when it comes to love, whether it's sweet or bitter. It's a matter of faith and what the heart desires.

The end.

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After Our Divorce, I Still Wore Your Jacket

After Our Divorce, I Still Wore Your Jacket

Chapter 72 - Chapter 72 Extra 2

Ribbit