Chapter 40

After the movie wrapped up, Jiang Chi rested for less than a month before rushing to another film crew.

This was an urban fashion drama adapted from a popular big IP and directed by a top-rated director. The male lead was Jiang Chi, the female lead was the currently popular young actress Wu Xiaoling, and the second male lead was also a popular young actor. The entire crew, from top to bottom, was filled with four big words: Quick, Grab, Fast, Money.

Having witnessed a high-standard film production team on the set of 'The Scum' for half a year, Li Weili was quite unaccustomed to this new environment. While waiting for their scene, he couldn't help but whisper to Jiang Chi, "That last take... the second male lead's positioning was wrong, wasn't it? And it passed just like that?"

"Shh..."

Jiang Chi whispered, "Talk less, play on your phone more."

Li Weili had a complicated expression on his face as he lowered his head to continue scrolling through Weibo.

After honing their skills under Ren Haichuan for several months, both the artists and the assistants had been trained by him into the habit of being meticulous. Now they were suddenly filming as if rushing to meet a deadline. It was like eating undercooked rice; you had to swallow it whether you could stomach it or not and then press on with the relentless schedule.

It wasn't that Jiang Chi had degenerated. Compared to "Crystal Lover," which his senior Yu Xijia had snatched from him, this show was already considered quite proper and well-researched. The show had been sold not long after it was greenlit and cast, so the director had to bear the dual pressure of television ratings and online view counts and didn't dare to be too shoddy with the production. After all, it would affect his own reputation.

Jiang Chi's movie hadn't been released yet, so it was unrealistic to want to only act in movies from now on. He had to rely on popular dramas to maintain his fame. This current TV drama was considered the best among the fashion drama resources available to him at the moment.

Moreover, Jiang Chi hadn't received any acting fees for half a year. His own situation was manageable; his expenses weren't large, and he still had savings, but as for the company...

A thirty-episode TV drama, a two-and-a-half-month shooting schedule... Calculating the time, not long after this drama wrapped up, it would be time for him to terminate his contract with the company.

With his contract nearing its end, Jiang Chi filled his schedule by accepting a TV drama and a reality show, earning a final pot of gold for his old employer and honoring the bumpy friendship they had shared during the contract years.

Jiang Chi's pay for this show was not low, and seventy percent of it would go to his company.

Actually, under normal circumstances, for an artist like Jiang Chi whose contract was about to expire, the company wouldn't rigidly divide the last one or two paychecks according to the contract's ratio. They would usually give the actor an extra ten or twenty percent, partly to play the sentiment card in hopes that the artist would renew their contract and stay. At worst, they could at least part on good terms. The artist hadn't wasted their years and had earned a lot of money for the company. Even if there was no fate to continue their cooperation, they should at least maintain appearances. Everyone was in the same circle; maintaining a superficial harmony was better than parting ways for good.

But Jiang Chi's company didn't do that. With the contract about to expire, Century Entertainment still followed the contract to the letter. Not only that, but the few times Jiang Chi tried to discuss his future development with Geng Tian, he was vaguely brushed off with the excuse that Geng Tian was too busy and hadn't gotten around to it.

The new artists Geng Tian was currently managing had debuted just over three months ago, and it was a critical time when they desperately needed jobs and projects to sustain the buzz from their debut, so it was normal for him to be too busy for anything else. Of course, it was also possible that he wanted to leave the team and no longer manage Jiang Chi's career.

Regarding the matter of signing with Starlight, besides Geng Tian, Jiang Chi had also subtly mentioned it a few times to Li Weili.

Geng Tian's contract was with the old company, but Li Weili's was not. He was just a temporary worker affiliated with the company; the one who actually paid his salary was Jiang Chi. If Jiang Chi left, Li Weili could leave with him anytime he wanted.

"Of course I'll go with you!" Li Weili said without even thinking. "After all the hard work to see you become a huge star, how could I possibly not follow you?"

Jiang Chi smiled and gave Li Weili's shoulder a light punch.

Li Weili had been taking care of him back when he was still an eighteenth-tier nobody. Having been together for so many years and making it this far, the bond between them went without saying.

"What are you watching?" The female lead, Wu Xiaoling, sat down next to Jiang Chi holding a cup of hot tea. She glanced at the video playing on the tablet in Jiang Chi's hands and smiled. "An old movie of Film Emperor Ye, huh."

"Just bored while waiting for my scene." Jiang Chi smiled and moved aside a little to give Wu Xiaoling more space.

He and Wu Xiaoling had worked together last year and had always been on good terms. Working together again this time, they didn't need a breaking-in period and coordinated seamlessly.

"So handsome... He's been handsome for so many years." Wu Xiaoling bit her straw, admiring the tablet screen. "He gets more charming every year."

In the video, Ye Lan was in a police uniform with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, his head lowered as he tended to a kitten.

A plastic string, tied by some naughty kid, was around the kitten's neck, making the fur there messy and dirty. Ye Lan lowered his gaze, slowly and carefully undoing the tight knot on the string.

The ash on the cigarette in Ye Lan's mouth grew long, and with a slight movement, it accidentally fell, landing right on the kitten's head. Ye Lan frowned slightly and brushed it off, but his attempt backfired. The snow-white, fluffy fur on the kitten's forehead was instantly smeared into a trendy granny gray.

The kitten looked up at Ye Lan pitifully, as if silently questioning him. Ye Lan frowned in annoyance, flicked the ash from his cigarette, and went back to untying the plastic string.

Wu Xiaoling couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"The part with the ash was his improvisation. The wind on set was too strong that day, and no one expected the ash to fall." Jiang Chi stared intently at the screen, not forgetting to turn his head and explain to Wu Xiaoling, "It's in the behind-the-scenes footage."

In the video, Ye Lan finally untied the plastic string. He picked up the kitten by the scruff of its neck and tossed it to the entrance of the alley, where a big cat snatched it up in its mouth and quickly ran off.

Wu Xiaoling shook her head in admiration. "Only Film Emperor Ye could portray a tough guy with a tender heart so delicately."

My idol is being praised by a casual fan!

Jiang Chi was delighted.

"Hey." Wu Xiaoling turned and poked Jiang Chi. "Didn't you work with Film Emperor Ye on a movie before? A gay one, at that. You must have gotten close to him, right?"

"It's... alright." Since 'The Scum' wrapped up, many people had asked Jiang Chi about his relationship with Ye Lan. Jiang Chi's answers were always ambiguous, never saying they were close, but not that they weren't either. "Brother Ye Lan is a great person. He gets along well with everyone on the crew."

Having been gratuitously included in basking in Film Emperor Ye's benevolence, Li Weili glanced sideways at Jiang Chi and pursed his lips. Ye Lan certainly wasn't "getting along well" with him.

Wu Xiaoling said understandingly, "That's normal. Film Emperor Ye is on another level, so it's hard to befriend him."

Jiang Chi's phone suddenly chimed. Wu Xiaoling subconsciously glanced over, and the lock screen automatically displayed the message:

Ye Lan: Just saw this. I'm at the hotel. Dead tired.

"..." Wu Xiaoling awkwardly corrected herself, "Actually, he's quite... approachable."

Jiang Chi had sent Ye Lan several messages from morning until now, and Ye Lan hadn't replied. He didn't expect a sudden reply right when Wu Xiaoling could see it. Jiang Chi said awkwardly, "So, like I said... he's a good person."

When Wu Xiaoling had filmed with Jiang Chi before, she often saw him sitting alone during breaks, watching Ye Lan's movies over and over. Knowing he was a fan of Ye Lan's, she smiled. "Hurry and reply. Our scene is almost up, so you should get ready. I'm going to touch up my makeup first."

Jiang Chi smiled and nodded, then lowered his head to message Ye Lan.

After filming for 'The Scum' wrapped up, the two hadn't seen each other again.

It wasn't because they were avoiding suspicion. During the month Jiang Chi was resting, Ye Lan was still on set. By the time Ye Lan finished filming and returned to North City, Jiang Chi had already joined his new crew. Their schedules were perfectly misaligned. After another month passed like this, Ye Lan joined the crew for his next movie.

Fortunately, they could still contact each other by phone. Jiang Chi sent Ye Lan about ten miscellaneous messages almost every day, the content always varying. Ye Lan wasn't always prompt with his replies, but as long as he saw them, he would definitely reply.

Jiang Chi was very satisfied with this.

Jiang Chi: You joined the crew so early this time.

Ye Lan: The main actors need to do a script reading. We need a month to work together and build chemistry before filming starts.

Jiang Chi: So... so rigorous.

Ye Lan: Ugh, don't even mention it.

Jiang Chi: Is it very hard? Have you lost weight again?

Ye Lan didn't reply again; he just called directly.

Jiang Chi quickly answered the phone and said in a low voice, "Hello?"

"Worried I've lost weight?" Ye Lan chuckled. "As soon as I saw over ten unread messages, I guessed it was you."

Jiang Chi took a light breath. After filming wrapped up, he and Ye Lan had only spoken on the phone twice.

Counting this time, it was three.

Both of them had been very busy during this period, and there was nothing important enough to warrant a formal phone call, so they rarely called. Hearing Ye Lan's voice again now, Jiang Chi's heart felt warm.

"How's the new crew?" Ye Lan seemed to be looking at something, then said after a pause, "These people acting with you aren't very famous. No one would dare to bully you, right?"

Only in Film Emperor Ye's eyes would popular young actors and actresses be considered not very famous.

Jiang Chi held back a laugh and said in a low voice, "Everyone is very nice to me."

"Then your tone doesn't sound right. What else could be wrong?" Ye Lan teased casually. "Miss me?"

Jiang Chi paused, his cheeks flushed, and he said in a low voice, "Mhm."

"..." Ye Lan was stunned for a moment, then said, "Should I come visit you on set?"

"No, no, no, no, no!" Jiang Chi nearly choked. "There's no need, no need, no need..."

Ye Lan had just joined the crew. The new drama's director, Yin Jiehong, although not as impartial as Ren Haichuan, was also a famous director both at home and abroad. He couldn't be so casually slighted or offended.

Besides, Ye Lan didn't know Jiang Chi's filming location, but Jiang Chi knew where Ye Lan's set was. Their sets were over two hundred miles apart, so it would take quite a while to actually come over. Ye Lan was at a crucial point of studying his script; how could he have the energy for that?

However...

Jiang Chi was taken aback. Since Ye Lan said he would visit the set, that meant...

He could see Ye Lan?!

"I..." Jiang Chi's Adam's apple bobbed, and he asked tentatively, "I only have one scene tomorrow, so I have plenty of time. Otherwise... how about I visit you on set?"

Before Ye Lan could speak, Jiang Chi rushed to say, "I'll disguise myself well, no one will find out. I can pretend to be your assistant and leave after a little while. Is... is that okay?"

"Tomorrow..."

Ye Lan was about to refuse, but he suddenly remembered that the executive producer of The Regent Prince would be coming over tomorrow.

The producer and the head director would both be there; it would be a good opportunity for Jiang Chi to come and meet them.

Ye Lan smiled. "If you're not afraid of the trouble, then come on over."