Lu Wen strolled around again to make sure he hadn't missed anyone he needed to greet.

When he was a chubby little boy, his dad would hold him with one arm at banquets. Everyone would come to tease him and pinch his cheeks. That was his first time socializing while drooling.

Growing up, he had followed his father and seen many big events, meeting countless influential figures. Riding on his old man's coattails, he never had to worry about anything in those situations. All he had to do was stand there and, whether the praise was genuine or fake, enjoy the compliments and flattery.

Now that he was on his own, he had to wander around with a wine glass, smiling until his face was sore. But despite the exhaustion, he handled it with ease.

Lu Wen picked an empty table in a corner, half-hidden by a screen. He crossed his legs and sat in the leather chair, waiting idly.

Sun Xiaojian, like a stray dog, sniffed his way over, the straight-guy happiness still on his face. "Xian Qi is so damn beautiful. I've fallen for her. I really want to take care of her."

Lu Wen said, "I'll help you ask if she still needs an assistant."

Sun Xiaojian still had some conscience. "I'm not the type to choose women over friends. No matter how great the temptation, I'll never leave you before you get famous."

Lu Wen asked worriedly, "What if I never get famous? Will I have to support you in your old age?"

"Pah, pah, pah!" Sun Xiaojian said. "You're the male lead now, and you're Qu Yanting's male lead. Once this drama is filmed and broadcast, you'll definitely become a huge star."

Every minor celebrity dreamed of making it big: receiving so many scripts and ad offers their hands would go soft, having a packed schedule, getting mobbed by fans whenever they went out, and even getting tens of thousands of comments for a fart on Weibo.

Probably dizzy from low blood sugar due to hunger, Lu Wen asked, "If I get famous, how many plays do you think an album of mine would get?"

Sun Xiaojian's face fell. "The way you're eyeing the music industry is just like how I'm coveting Xian Qi."

"Deeply in love?"

"No, a fool's dream."

Before Lu Wen and Sun Xiaojian could start fighting, someone suddenly came around the screen. It was the director's assistant.

Sun Xiaojian immediately stood up. "You're here! Please, have a seat!"

The director's assistant stopped by the table. "I won't sit. I'll leave after I say what I need to say."

Sun Xiaojian was impatient. "Does Director Ren have some arrangements?"

"Yes, I'm here to let you know," the assistant said. "Teacher Lu, Screenwriter Qu wants to see you. Get ready and head over to the private room in a bit. Is ten minutes enough?"

Sun Xiaojian answered for him, "That's enough, that's enough. We're always ready."

The director's assistant revealed, "Originally, Director Ren didn't want the actors to bother Screenwriter Qu, because Screenwriter Qu has never liked interacting with actors. But as it turns out, Screenwriter Qu specifically asked to see the male lead."

Lu Wen asked in surprise, "He specifically asked to see me?"

"Absolutely true," the director's assistant said. "Go over in ten minutes."

Lu Wen quickly asked, "What does Teacher Qu look like? I've never met him."

The director's assistant replied, "Screenwriter Qu is sitting next to Director Ren, wearing black clothes. On Director Ren's other side is CEO Zhou from Haoyang Culture, the major co-producer. You can say hello to him as well."

Sun Xiaojian hurriedly agreed. After the assistant left, he grabbed both of Lu Wen's hands. "Did you hear that? Teacher Qu specifically asked to see you."

Lu Wen had been getting tired of waiting, but now he was full of energy again. "You were right, Teacher Qu really is going to see me!"

Sun Xiaojian said, "Quick, hurry up and prepare. In ten minutes, you're going to meet the benefactor of your acting career."

Lu Wen was at a loss. "How do I prepare? What do I say when I see him?"

Sun Xiaojian pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "Don't panic. Bro has already drafted some lines for you."

Lu Wen was terrible at sucking up. With a draft, he could just memorize it.

Sun Xiaojian said, "Qu Yanting socializes with big shots; he's used to seeing composure and effortless ease. You need to show the characteristics of an unknown actor: sincere, clumsy, maybe even so nervous you stutter. Make Qu Yanting find you novel, make him feel how thrilled you are to see him, understand?"

"Got it." Lu Wen quickly memorized the lines. There were only a few, to avoid annoying Qu Yanting by talking too much.

Sun Xiaojian reminded him, "Since Screenwriter Qu specifically asked to see you, he'll probably chat with you a bit, ask you some questions."

"Ah?" Lu Wen had feared being called on by teachers since he was a kid. "They won't be too hard, will they?"

Sun Xiaojian said, "Just remember one thing: for questions you're not sure about, it's better to say you don't know than to ad-lib. Sincerity is key. Absolutely do not try to act cool in front of Screenwriter Qu."

Ten minutes passed quickly. Lu Wen left the banquet hall with his wine glass, Sun Xiaojian accompanying him. They walked down the corridor to the private room's door, from which they could faintly hear some noise.

Lu Wen said, "I'm going in to grovel."

"Go on, smile cutely." Sun Xiaojian put his palms together. "I'll pray for you. Amitabha."

Lu Wen went. Just as he reached the door to the private room, Sun Xiaojian caught up to him.

Fearing he would forget, Sun Xiaojian waited until the very last moment to remind him, "After you finish your lines, add an exaggerated, emotional, and unique sentence at the end. Make Teacher Qu remember you from this first meeting. Only if he remembers you will he have a chance to think of you in the future."

Lu Wen noted it all down and said to the waiter, "Open the door."

The double doors were pushed open, revealing a mini-foyer in an old New York style. An arc-cornered console table acted as a divider, a vase on it filled with Western peonies. Through the showy branches, Lu Wen saw an entire peacock-feather-colored feature wall in the inner room.

He approached the banquet table beneath the wall. The large, extravagant round table was covered with ostentatiously plated dishes. Bottles of champagne and Wuliangye lay scattered about. The circle of velvet chairs was filled with people, more than half of whom were already tipsy.

Lu Wen didn't have time to scan everyone individually. The moment he focused his gaze, the first person he saw was Qu Yanting.

He had been a little nervous, but now he was completely stunned.

'What's going on! Why is this guy sitting in the private room?!'

In front of Qu Yanting was a bowl of hot noodles. He wasn't eating the shrimp and crab on the table; having drunk quite a bit, he had specifically ordered a bowl of noodles to line his stomach. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his gaze meeting Lu Wen's across the diameter of the round table.

Lu Wen's eyes widened, his gaze silently asking: 'What are you doing here?!'

Qu Yanting raised an eyebrow and gave a slight shrug.

Before their silent exchange could yield any results, Ren Shu waved. "Xiao Lu is here."

Lu Wen snapped back to reality. He shifted his gaze from Qu Yanting to Ren Shu. He was shocked again. 'This guy is actually sitting next to the director!'

'What's his status?! Sitting next to the director?!'

Lu Wen's brain worked at high speed. This guy had the production director personally pick him up from the airport, rode in the director's private luxury car, didn't attend the script reading, and was sitting in the private room at the start-of-filming banquet...

He recalled what the director's assistant had said. Sitting next to Director Ren was...

Lu Wen finally understood. This guy was the head of Haoyang Culture, CEO Zhou.

He looked at Qu Yanting again, his expression a bit stiff, suspecting he had unknowingly offended the head of the major co-producer.

Ren Shu saw Lu Wen's awkward expression and guessed he was embarrassed about getting into the wrong car. He said, "Xiao Lu, don't just stand there. First, give Teacher Qu a toast."

Lu Wen suddenly came to his senses. Right, he was here to see Qu Yanting.

Qu Yanting was the biggest investor. As long as Qu Yanting appreciated him, no one else mattered.

CEO Zhou was on one side of the director, so Qu Yanting must be on the other. Lu Wen thought, his gaze drifting to Ren Shu's other side. That man was in a suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was slightly plump and looked just like a cultured, great screenwriter.

'But is the director's assistant colorblind? Teacher Qu is clearly wearing gray.'

Qu Yanting lowered his head to eat his noodles. In his peripheral vision, he watched Lu Wen circle around the chairs, getting closer and closer. Amidst the smell of alcohol, he once again caught the scent of that fresh, citrusy cologne.

Then, Lu Wen passed him without stopping.

Reaching Ren Shu's other side, Lu Wen stopped next to CEO Zhou. Up close, he could see the man was a bit bald on top. 'Looks like writing really is draining,' he thought.

As gazes focused on them, CEO Zhou hesitantly looked up.

Lu Wen bowed slightly to meet CEO Zhou's eyes. Following the lines he had memorized beforehand, he spoke in a proper and loud voice— "Teacher Qu, hello."

The sound of noodle-eating stopped.

Lu Wen took a deep breath. "Teacher Qu, my name is Lu Wen. You probably already know my name, but I couldn't help... wanting to tell you again, face-to-face."

"I've always been your fan, but I never dared to imagine that I would one day get to act in one of your scripts. I'm so lucky, and to even be able to meet you today... I'm just so thrilled!"

CEO Zhou said, "Young man..."

"Yes!" Lu Wen responded.

To prevent Qu Yanting from asking questions so soon, he quickly added, "Teacher Qu, I know that every character is a product of your heart and soul, especially the main character. I will definitely study the script seriously and do my utmost to fulfill my role. Please, just watch my performance!"

He paused for a second after speaking, afraid that being too smooth wouldn't seem clumsy enough. Then, holding the champagne glass with both hands, he smiled a bit foolishly and shyly. "Teacher Qu, I hope I'll have the honor of working with you again in the future."

CEO Zhou said, "I..."

"As you wish!" Lu Wen pushed through to his last line. "I'll drink to you first!"

He raised his glass and downed it in one go. Suddenly, he remembered Sun Xiaojian's reminder: end with an exaggerated, emotional, and unique sentence to make Qu Yanting remember him.

Lu Wen looked at the wrinkles at the corners of CEO Zhou's eyes and his faintly shining scalp, estimating the man's age.

He gritted his teeth, threw his pride to the wind, and, risking getting beaten to a pulp when he got home, said, "Teacher Qu, I grew up in a single-parent family. Seeing you today... is like seeing my own father."

The private room fell silent. Everyone was stunned, and even the drunk ones sobered up.

Qu Yanting put down his chopsticks, turned his head, and lifted his eyelids to peer at Lu Wen's tall back.

His mouth was full of spice, but his voice was like a cooled cup of Longjing tea as he unhurriedly said, "Hey."

Startled, Lu Wen whipped his head around.

Qu Yanting looked at him with a half-smile and said softly, "Idiot, the one surnamed Qu is over here."