Jiang Chi glanced tremblingly at Ye Lan. Ye Lan was chatting with someone via voice message, laughing and scolding a couple of times now and then, sounding very familiar with them.

Jiang Chi went through Ye Lan's Weibo every day and knew exactly who Ye Lan followed. Ye Lan hadn't followed him this morning, so it must have just happened.

Jiang Chi closed his eyes and thought hard, asking himself what he had done in the past half a day to deserve this! For Ye Lan to suddenly think of following him.

It couldn't be because I was secretly scrolling through his romance rumors, could it?

Ye Lan turned his head and glanced at Jiang Chi. Seeing that he was engrossed in his phone and not paying attention, he relaxed, pressed the voice message button, and lowered his voice, "Fuck off. I asked you to walk me downstairs and say hi before, but you didn't, making things so awkward for me. Now you remember? Scram."

On the other end of the WeChat message, Yu Xinze said with an apologetic laugh, "I was too drunk that day. Otherwise, never mind walking you downstairs, I would've carried you down. What do you say? Ask him for me. If he hasn't renewed yet, I'll have someone from my company contact him."

Ye Lan sneered and pressed the voice message button, "If you want to ask, ask yourself. I'm not getting involved in this."

Yu Xinze laughed loudly, "Don't be like that. It's just a simple question. Ask for me, will you? If this really works out, you'll be our great matchmaker. Both he and I will have to thank you properly. You name the place, and he and I will go with you. Oh right, didn't you say you wanted to go sailing? Let's go together when this is settled."

Ye Lan sneered coldly, "Wake up, will you? Who would want you to accompany them? Besides... You'll 'thank me properly'? How good can your thanks be?"

Yu Xinze exclaimed, "What's wrong with my company? Good resources, good profit sharing, and long-term career planning for our artists. What more could you want? And... at the very least, it's much better than his current small company, what's it called... 'Century Entertainment'."

Ye Lan pursed his lips lightly, pondering for a moment. He was afraid Jiang Chi might have heard something, so he turned to look at him. Thankfully... Jiang Chi was looking at his phone with a focused expression, so he probably hadn't noticed.

Jiang Chi indeed hadn't noticed. He was excitedly scrolling through Ye Lan's Weibo, greedily looking at Ye Lan's friends-only feed.

[Ye Lan: Fucking bruised again. No more action scenes next year.]

The Weibo post was accompanied by a photo of a leg. The pant leg on Ye Lan's left leg had been cut open, revealing a bruised, purple, and swollen knee.

Jiang Chi's heart tightened. This was an injury Ye Lan sustained while filming an action movie last year. Jiang Chi clearly remembered that news had been released back then saying Ye Lan was injured during filming, but it was quickly refuted by Ye Lan's Studio. He never expected it to be true.

Ye Lan almost never used a stunt double when filming. Over the years, there had been several confirmed reports of injuries. There was no telling how many more, like this one, had been suppressed and not disclosed to the public for unknown reasons.

Jiang Chi let out a soft breath, his heart aching for him.

[Ye Lan: Hahahaha, this is killing me. Super Entertainment said I've been secretly married for years, hahahahaha, they're right, secretly married for forty years and secretly gave birth to him.]

Below was a picture of the news fabricated by Super Entertainment about Ye Lan's secret marriage.

Jiang Chi held back a laugh. Ye Lan was clearly only thirty-two this year.

[Ye Lan: Accepted a role. A gay one.]

Jiang Chi choked.

This Weibo post had the most comments. Jiang Chi carefully tapped to open the comments.

A line of Film Emperors, Film Empresses, producers, and directors sent uniform congratulations, all teasing him. Some asked for costume photos, some asked if he needed a cameo, and some asked if Ye Lan was the top or bottom.

A sweet feeling spread in Jiang Chi's heart... 'This Weibo post is related to me, right?'

A month ago! Ye Lan had posted a Weibo about me!

Jiang Chi took a screenshot, just in case Ye Lan had followed him by accident. If he unfollowed him later, he wouldn't be able to see his friends-only feed anymore.

After taking the screenshot, Jiang Chi continued reading the comments on this Weibo post. When he scrolled to the very bottom, his fingertip paused.

[Yu Xinze: Hahahahaha a gay film hahahahaha who's your co-star?]

[Ye Lan replied to Yu Xinze: Jiang Chi.]

[Yu Xinze: Jiang Chi? How is he?]

Jiang Chi held his breath, slowly scrolling down...

[Ye Lan replied to Yu Xinze: Not bad.]

Not bad!

Ye Lan said he was! Not bad!!!

Jiang Chi exploded like a firework, so excited he wished he could stand up and run two laps around Ye Lan's makeup chair!

"Teacher Jiang, don't move, you can't get up yet..." the makeup artist reminded him softly, "It'll be done soon, just a moment."

Jiang Chi nodded apologetically and took a deep breath.

The makeup artist said I can't get up! So can I spin around Ye Lan in this swivel chair?! I can't take it anymore!!

Jiang Chi forced himself to calm down and carefully looked at the time when Ye Lan said he was "not bad," recalling the situation at that point in time... He hadn't been on the set for long back then and had only filmed one scene opposite Ye Lan.

'Did Ye Lan think I was not bad after just one scene? What a great judge of character!'

Jiang Chi secretly glanced at Ye Lan, his heart beating faster and faster.

Ye Lan casually looked towards Jiang Chi and saw his burning gaze and shining eyes. He wondered inwardly, 'He didn't hear my voice messages with Yu Xinze, did he?'

'The dressing room is so noisy, it's not possible, right?'

A quarter of an hour later, a staff member came over to remind them that the set was ready and the actors could take their positions.

This was an outdoor scene, right downstairs from this building. The time was set half a month after the previous scene, so both of their makeup and styles had been completely redone, especially Jiang Chi's, which was a bit more mature than before.

Fortunately, it was the middle of the night, so preparing the location was much more convenient, and they saved on extras. It was just that the weather was terribly cold. Jiang Chi rubbed his hands, and his ears turned red from the cold in no time.

Ye Lan had it even worse than Jiang Chi. To make his figure look more desolate, his clothes were one layer thinner than Jiang Chi's. If Ye Lan wasn't naturally warm-blooded, he would have had trouble reciting his lines in a bit.

"Long take. Ye Lan, you only have two lines," Ren Haichuan said. "Be a little more reserved, keep your emotions restrained, understand?"

Ye Lan nodded. "Wanting to speak, yet holding back."

Ren Haichuan nodded in reassurance. His directions to Ye Lan were always brief. After a few words, he looked at Jiang Chi and said, "You have no lines, the acting is all in your eyes. You just need to hold his gaze for seventeen seconds. After he finishes saying 'can't see', cut. A second later, you'll shift your gaze to the end of the road. The next second, lower your eyelids. After that, don't make eye contact again, not even once."

Jiang Chi nodded.

Ren Haichuan said, "You don't dare to look at him, and you don't dare to speak again... You're afraid of him. Although you have expectations in your heart, you're also on edge, afraid he'll ask you to get back together. You know in your heart that if he says it, you will definitely agree."

Ren Haichuan gently tapped Jiang Chi's chest and said, "But you don't want to anymore. You're afraid of having your heart broken by him again."

Jiang Chi hummed in agreement and said softly, "In this lifetime, being a fool once is enough."

Ren Haichuan gave a rare smile.

Ren Haichuan moved out of the frame, and all departments took their positions.

Jiang Chi raised his eyes to look at Ye Lan.

A lifetime, being a fool only once. For one person.

"'The Scum,' scene thirty-two, take one!!"

The two stood on the empty road. Ye Lan glanced at the car behind him and gave an awkward smile. "I-I was just passing by. Didn't expect to actually run into you. I... shall I walk you?"

Ye Lan sensed the resistance in Jiang Chi's eyes and added, looking a bit flustered, "Anyway... there's no one around right now. Your colleagues can't see."

In the end, Pei Ran didn't get into Zhan Ming's car.

His home was very close to the company, just a ten-minute walk.

So Zhan Ming accompanied Pei Ran, walking back slowly along the empty road in the middle of the night.

Zhan Ming's car followed them slowly from behind.

Zhan Ming and Pei Ran walked on opposite sides of the double solid line in the middle of the road, step by step, their pace slow and drawn-out.

Ye Lan said in a low voice, "Which... which company are you with now?"

Jiang Chi: '!'

Jiang Chi didn't dare turn his head or speak. Ye Lan smiled slyly, "Don't be afraid."

"We've already walked over a hundred meters. We're about the size of ants in the shot. They can't hear us, and they can't tell you're talking," Ye Lan reminded Jiang Chi. "Just don't turn your head to look at me."

"I... I'm with Century Entertainment right now," Jiang Chi said nervously, as if giving a report. "I signed the contract when I was in university. It's a four-year contract, with less than a year left before it expires."

"Oh." Ye Lan had already heard all this from Yu Xinze. He continued to ask, "Less than a year left... have you started negotiating a renewal?"

Jiang Chi said, "No. Recently... I haven't had time."

Ye Lan hummed in acknowledgment. Yu Xinze had guessed right; Jiang Chi hadn't renewed his contract yet.

Just as Ye Lan was about to act as a lobbyist for Yu Xinze, Jiang Chi suddenly said in a small voice, "Brother Ye Lan, you... you followed me on Weibo."

Ye Lan was stunned. "Huh?"

Jiang Chi took a nervous breath and asked, "Was it... an accident?"

Jiang Chi didn't really want to ask. If Ye Lan really had followed him by mistake, it would be too awkward. But he had been holding it in for half the day and was about to burst. Since Ye Lan had taken the initiative to speak to him, he couldn't resist confirming it.

Ye Lan paused for a moment, then smiled. "No, I specifically searched for you."

Jiang Chi's face instantly turned red.

Jiang Chi stammered, "Why did you suddenly think of... you know..."

Ye Lan said, amused, "You followed me first, didn't you?"

Jiang Chi's mind went blank for a second. "Yes, that's right... Of course."

Ye Lan calmly retorted, "Then why did you follow me?"

Jiang Chi was at a loss for words. After a long moment, he said, "I'm your fan. I've always... liked you a lot."

Ye Lan gave a polite smile. "Thank you. I like you a lot too."

Jiang Chi's steps faltered.

Even though he knew this was just a casual, polite remark from Ye Lan, his heart still felt a mix of sweet and sour, and it ached a little.

It was just a pity that they weren't filming a close-up, so Ye Lan's words just now couldn't be recorded.

Otherwise, Jiang Chi would have clipped it and listened to it repeatedly every night before bed.

Jiang Chi was afraid Ye Lan would see through him, so he changed the subject and asked softly, "What was it you wanted to say to me just now?"

Ye Lan hesitated for a moment, then pushed thoughts of Yu Xinze to the back of his mind and smiled calmly. "Nothing."

"Cut! Cut!!!"

At the other end of the road, the clapper-loader waved their arms and shouted, "Cut!!! That's a wrap!!!"

Ye Lan's assistant ran over holding a down jacket and quickly wrapped it around Ye Lan. Ye Lan's arms were trembling slightly from the cold. He asked, "Where's my phone?"

The assistant quickly handed him his phone. Ye Lan rubbed his hands together, unlocked his phone, opened WeChat, and sent a message to Yu Xinze.

[Let's talk about signing him later.]