After getting his phone back, Jiang Chi called his manager and spent a good while placating him.

Geng Tian was trembling: "Just now... was that really Film Emperor Ye?"

"Yes..." Jiang Chi said dryly, "You heard him too."

Geng Tian was on the verge of tears: "How did your phone end up with him?!"

"I lent it to him to play with..." Jiang Chi explained vaguely, "I didn't expect you to suddenly send a message, and it happened to be about him, so he saw it..."

Fortunately, Geng Tian didn't say much more, otherwise, Ye Lan would have known everything.

"I was wondering why you were suddenly so cooperative. So it was Ye Lan." Geng Tian connected the dots after a moment's thought, beating his chest in regret, "I chatted with Ye Lan for that long?!"

Jiang Chi was silent. He himself had never even chatted with Ye Lan on WeChat.

It took Geng Tian a good while to digest the matter, still shaken: "This is killing me, I was scared to death when I heard the voice message... Forget it, forget it, let's not talk about it. I've arranged your work for the New Year period. I'll send you the schedule once it's sorted out. It's perfect timing, you've been out of sight for so many days. Let's ride this wave of popularity and boost your presence."

It was something he had agreed to before, so Jiang Chi cooperated: "Okay."

"But..." Geng Tian had calmed down a bit and couldn't help but gossip, "When did you and Ye Lan get on such good terms?"

Worried Geng Tian would make another request, Jiang Chi smiled: "We're not... I was quite surprised too. Maybe he just felt he could help. We're not usually that close."

"This isn't close?" Geng Tian mumbled, "Seriously, I wouldn't even be surprised if you told me you two were together right now. Would someone who isn't close help you like this?"

Hearing this, Jiang Chi's cheeks grew slightly hot.

"Do you know what the industry valuation of one of Film Emperor Ye's Weibo posts is?" The more Geng Tian thought about it, the more he felt they had hit the jackpot, chattering on, "And he commented repeatedly, my god... have you ever seen Film Emperor Ye be so meticulous with anyone?"

Jiang Chi's heart began to beat a little faster.

For a long while, he hadn't dared to think back on what had just happened. He was afraid he would overthink it and, on impulse, say something he shouldn't.

Jiang Chi walked a few steps outside, lit a cigarette to calm himself down, and said in a low voice, "He just has a spontaneous personality. It was a whim."

Geng Tian quieted down a bit, then became conflicted again, saying bitterly, "It's going to be so awkward seeing Film Emperor Ye in the future... Forget it, I won't think about it. Take care of yourself, I'm hanging up now."

Jiang Chi hummed in agreement, hung up, put his phone away, and stood outside smoking alone.

"What are you doing out here in the cold wind all by yourself?"

Jiang Chi was startled. Ye Lan had approached at some point. He took Jiang Chi's hand that was holding the cigarette, lowered his head, and used the small red glow on Jiang Chi's cigarette to light the one he held in his own mouth.

Jiang Chi's heart was pounding. His hand holding the cigarette didn't dare move an inch. Only after Ye Lan let go did he cough and say, "It's nothing... the upcoming scene was changed a little. I was worried I wouldn't film it well, so I was thinking about the scene by myself."

"There's no problem with your acting, and your memory is good. What's to be afraid of with a change in the script?" Ye Lan took a drag from his cigarette and said, "I thought you were avoiding me."

Jiang Chi quickly shook his head: "I was just... just thinking about the scene."

Ye Lan smiled leisurely: "As long as you weren't. Let's go back. If we don't, Ren Haichuan will get anxious."

Jiang Chi agreed but hesitated, still not leaving.

Ye Lan raised an eyebrow: "Did your manager scold you? Give me the phone, I'll talk to him..."

"No!" Jiang Chi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The lingering affection in his heart was diluted somewhat by Ye Lan's jesting. He changed the subject, "About what happened... please don't let it slip. I'll be careful, and I'll remind my manager too. You must be careful yourself."

If someone found out and exposed it, the impact on Ye Lan would be huge. At that point, An Ya would probably blow both him and Geng Tian to bits.

Ye Lan didn't seem to care much and smiled: "Are you lecturing me? Go on now."

In the following days, people on the set often joked about the matter.

The time gap between the repost and the comment was too short; anyone who saw it would think the two had planned it in advance.

Jiang Chi didn't dare say much, afraid people would find out Ye Lan had orchestrated the whole thing himself, so he could only vaguely acquiesce.

The secret joy he felt when no one was around was something only he knew.

As the end of the year approached, the actor for the bartender still hadn't been found. Ren Haichuan wanted to speed up the progress but couldn't, so they had to wrap up early.

On the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, the crew paused filming. Everyone went their separate ways home, and it was decided that work would resume in a month.

On the last day of filming, the key staff and main cast had a gathering. The average age wasn't high, and most of them liked to have fun and be lively, but with Ren Haichuan present, no one dared to laugh and joke around much. Except for Ye Lan, who teased Ren Haichuan a few times, everyone else ate obediently, not even drinking any alcohol.

"Ye Lan, go back and manage your weight." Seeing Ye Lan barely touch his food during the meal, Ren Haichuan frowned and said, "How much weight have you lost since joining the set? By the time we wrap up, are you going to look completely emaciated?"

Ye Lan scoffed: "It's not that serious... I've probably lost less than two kilograms, it's fine."

Ren Haichuan said with dissatisfaction: "Take care of it during the break. Try to get back to the state you were in when you first joined the set."

Ye Lan nodded in agreement, not paying it much mind.

Worried Ye Lan would go wild and party as soon as he left the set, Ren Haichuan asked one more question: "Where are you going for the New Year?"

"Where else could I go?" Ye Lan said lightly, "I'll just stay at home. There are people everywhere. Go out to be stared at like a monkey?"

Ren Haichuan thought that made sense and said: "Not going to your parents' place?"

Ye Lan's parents had lived abroad for many years. When Ye Lan went abroad, apart from work, it was mostly to visit them.

Ye Lan shook his head: "They probably haven't even decided where they're celebrating the New Year yet. I can't be bothered to get involved. We have times to gather throughout the year; I don't force this kind of ritual."

Ren Haichuan nodded, then turned to look at Jiang Chi, who was sitting beside Ye Lan, and asked casually, "What about Jiang Chi? Where are you celebrating the New Year?"

Jiang Chi was just thinking about the next day's schedule. When his name was called, he quickly looked up: "In North City as well. I still have work."

"As expected of someone at the peak of their popularity," Ren Haichuan snorted. "Not going home?"

The Assistant Director heard this and quickly tried to signal Ren Haichuan with his eyes, but Ren Haichuan didn't notice. He even pressed on: "Or are your parents also in North City?"

Ye Lan narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling the deep-dive exposé post he had seen when searching for news about Jiang Chi some time ago.

"My parents..." Jiang Chi smiled, "Yes, they're also in North City."

Ren Haichuan said with relief: "That's good then. No matter how busy your schedule is, you can still find time to go back and see them. Actually..."

The Assistant Director gently tugged on Ren Haichuan's sleeve, interrupting him, and gave Jiang Chi an apologetic smile: "Director Ren doesn't usually pay attention to these things, he didn't know. Please don't mind him."

Jiang Chi shook his head, his expression normal: "It's fine... my parents are in North City, and I visit them often, so it's not like we have to spend the New Year together."

Ren Haichuan looked at Cen Wen, froze for a moment, and realized he had probably brought up something he shouldn't have. With so many people around, he couldn't ask for details, so he just nodded at Jiang Chi and said no more.

Ye Lan picked up his napkin, dabbed the corner of his mouth, and glanced at Ren Haichuan without a word.

A few days ago, while frequently searching for news related to the two of them, he had inadvertently seen a gossip post about Jiang Chi's family.

Jiang Chi's current family was a blended one.

It was impossible to verify the true and false information in the post; the so-called "solid proof" was contradictory and made no sense. It was only after Ye Lan asked Cen Wen that he got a clear picture of the situation.

Jiang Chi's mother passed away from illness early on. Later, his father started a new family. His stepmother brought a daughter who was just a year younger than Jiang Chi, and later the two of them had another child. Gradually, the attention paid to Jiang Chi dwindled.

At that time, Jiang Chi was already in his teens. Perhaps he was afraid of affecting the family dynamic, or perhaps he felt he needed to keep a distance from his stepsister under the same roof. Just after starting junior high, Jiang Chi took the initiative to transfer to a boarding school and rarely lived at home after that.

"Don't believe those rumors saying he doesn't get along with his father and stepmother, it's all nonsense. Jiang Chi once bought haute couture jewelry specifically for his stepmother. He was photographed at the time, and many people thought he was buying it for his girlfriend, so he even had to issue a clarification..." Cen Wen had explained lucidly, "Jiang Chi's relationship with his father and stepmother is actually okay, not melodramatic at all, just not very affectionate... But those who say Jiang Chi is aloof, cold, and can't handle family relationships are disgusting. Put yourself in his shoes. Your own father remarries, the stepmother brings her own child, and then they have another child together... No matter how good-tempered Jiang Chi is, he's not a saint. You can't expect him to truly treat his stepmother as his biological mother, can you? Seeing the family so lively, he must feel like a bit of an outsider, right? He probably misses his own mother too."

"Out of sight, out of mind. He doesn't go home often, which makes it easier on him, and the rest of the family can also be more at ease." Cen Wen sighed, "It really wasn't easy for him. I heard that when Jiang Chi was a child and came home for holidays, he always traveled back and forth by himself, carrying his own suitcase. No one picked him up or saw him off..."

...

This information was all released by his company when Jiang Chi first debuted in order to attract fans. Jiang Chi himself never talked about it. Later, Jiang Chi negotiated with his company to stop publicizing his family matters, so fewer and fewer people knew about it. It wasn't strange that Ren Haichuan, who never paid attention to gossip, was completely unaware.

Ye Lan turned his head to glance at Jiang Chi and saw that his expression was normal, as if he truly didn't mind.

Jiang Chi didn't take it to heart, but Ye Lan felt a tightness in his chest.

Ren Haichuan was really something else, rambling on and questioning Jiang Chi after questioning him...

Just then, another dish, wasabi-baked lobster, was served. Following the order of the main seat, it was placed to Ren Haichuan's right.

Before Ren Haichuan could pick up his chopsticks, Ye Lan picked up a piece and placed it on the small plate in front of Jiang Chi.

Ren Haichuan: "..."

Jiang Chi looked up, his heart thumping wildly. Ye Lan hadn't used the serving chopsticks just now! He had used his own chopsticks!

By that logic, isn't this basically...

Ye Lan looked perfectly calm. He leaned a little closer to Jiang Chi and introduced in a low voice, "This dish is their specialty. I ordered it just now... Have a taste."

The others were either chatting or tasting the dishes. As Ye Lan and Jiang Chi leaned slightly closer together, the others tactfully refrained from interrupting.

Jiang Chi picked up the lobster meat and popped it into his mouth. The rims of his ears turned slightly red.

Ye Lan tilted his head to look at Jiang Chi and asked with a smile, "A bit spicy?"

Jiang Chi had food in his mouth and couldn't speak, so he quickly shook his head, signaling that it was very good.

Jiang Chi looked at the chopsticks resting on the small ceramic chopstick rest in front of Ye Lan, his ears turning redder and redder.

He swallowed the lobster, feeling as if he had just shared an indirect kiss with Ye Lan.