For the next few days, Ye Lan completely ignored Yu Xinze.

"Yu Xinze has been looking for you so much he's come to me." Ye Lan's agent, An Ya, didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "What trouble did you get into this time?"

Sitting on a recliner, Ye Lan continued playing his game without looking up, saying lazily, "I'm filming all day, what trouble could I possibly cause... Did he say anything to you?"

An Ya shook her head. "Not really. So what happened?"

Distracted for a moment, Ye Lan was killed by his opponent. He let out a "tsk," tossed his phone aside with a frown, and looked up to take the juice his assistant handed him. After a sip, he said, "He wants to sign Jiang Chi and asked me to help connect them. I can't be bothered with his business."

An Ya chuckled. "If you don't want to, then don't. Is there a need to hide from him? You scared me into thinking you'd done something behind my back. I asked around and everyone said they didn't know, so I had to come over myself."

Ye Lan had been with the crew for two months, and this was An Ya's first visit to the set.

"Why are you all always on guard against me causing trouble?" Ye Lan frowned. "Is our studio really that idle? Do we have no real work to do?"

An Ya looked at Ye Lan in surprise and retorted, "Isn't our real work cleaning up all your messes?"

Ye Lan was speechless.

Unlike artists such as Jiang Chi, Ye Lan was not signed to any entertainment company.

When he first debuted, Ye Lan spent two years at an entertainment company under his uncle's name. After graduating from university, Ye Lan split from his uncle and started his own studio. An Ya and the others were the personal team Ye Lan had assembled back then.

Ye Lan's Studio only had one artist: Ye Lan. He was both the boss and the sole source of income. It sounded a bit bleak, but while the studio was small, it had everything it needed. Internally, there was never a shortage of good resources, and externally, they had connections with all major platforms and media outlets. After years of screening and elimination, every key member of the team was top-tier in the industry.

Ye Lan's asset management and operations were handled by a separate professional team. The studio here offered high pay for little work, with the entire team's efforts dedicated to supporting one person. They only handled career planning for Ye Lan, contacted and vetted resources, and... did public relations for Film Emperor Ye, dealing with all sorts of bizarre situations.

An Ya tucked back her carefully styled curls and said leisurely, "Every time you join a crew, we get quite lonely... But it's also good. We treat it as a period of recuperation, building up our energy for when you finish filming and come back to torment us."

Ye Lan: "..."

Ye Lan picked up his phone again, opened the game interface, and started playing by himself.

"Go on, tell us, so we can prepare in advance." An Ya was half concerned, half gossiping. "What exactly happened?"

Ye Lan's long fingers swiped quickly across the screen as he said nonchalantly, "I originally promised Yu Xinze I'd be his spokesperson and told him it was a sure thing. But at the last minute, I suddenly wasn't happy about it, so I'm hiding from him... Actually, I made it clear to him, telling him to put it on hold for now, but he just won't give up."

An Ya was even more confused upon hearing this. "Why were you suddenly not happy about it? Did Jiang Chi offend you?"

"How could he offend me..." Ye Lan stared intently at the screen, carefully dodging the opponent's bullets. "He's pretty good."

An Ya said anxiously, "Then what is it?!"

Ye Lan was careless and died again. Helpless, he looked up and asked, "You know about Yu Xinze's situation, right?"

An Ya nodded. "Shiguang Media. A joint venture between Yu Xinze and his former backer. The backer provided the money, and he provided the resources. It's gotten pretty big in the last two years."

"Big?" Ye Lan scoffed. "All of their top-tier resources belong to Yu Xinze. The few others they've promoted all got famous by starring in trashy dramas. They're on a purely commercial path, and they dare say they've gotten big?"

An Ya chuckled. "Easy for you to say from your high horse, Film Emperor Ye. Do you think everyone can be like you, debuting as the lead on the big screen? People have different talents, different luck, and different opportunities."

Ye Lan smirked. "It's one thing for others to say I relied on my connections back then, but you're saying it too?"

"A slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue. You relied on your acting skills!" An Ya quickly corrected herself. "That's universally acknowledged. No matter how people have tried to smear you over the years, they could never touch your acting. People aren't blind."

"Nonsense..." Ye Lan said with a deadpan expression. "I clearly relied on this face back then."

"Pfft!"

Ye Lan's assistant, Cen Wen, couldn't help but laugh out loud. Ye Lan and An Ya looked at her, and she quickly covered her mouth, turning her head to look into the distance with a serious expression.

An Ya was thoroughly impressed. She hadn't expected that after two months, Film Emperor Ye's skin had grown another layer thicker. It was getting hard to even flatter him.

An Ya went along with Ye Lan's words. "Yes, yes, we all rely on your face for a living. We're getting off-topic again... what's wrong with Yu Xinze taking a purely commercial route?"

Ye Lan said faintly, "Jiang Chi isn't suited for that path. Besides... Yu Xinze's company is just so-so. Lots of resources, but also lots of social engagements."

The moment An Ya heard the words "social engagements," she understood half of it.

An Ya had long heard that Yu Xinze preferred to sign good-tempered, gentle artists who were easy to work with.

Ye Lan gave a sarcastic smile. "When we were hanging out before, Yu Xinze had his artist pour me wine and light my cigarettes directly. Is there any point to that?"

A few nights ago, in the middle of the night, the two of them were walking on the icy road. Jiang Chi's voice trembled slightly from the cold, but his eyes were still dark and bright.

The scene of Jiang Chi telling him he was a fan was still fresh in his mind.

In reality, Ye Lan had heard such things so often he was tired of it and didn't really believe it. Even if he did, it would hardly stir any ripples in his heart.

But at that moment, looking at Jiang Chi and thinking about how he would have to be subservient in the future, faking smiles at drinking parties for a crowd of people he didn't even know, Ye Lan suddenly lost the desire to speak.

Everyone chooses their own path, but Ye Lan didn't want to be involved in this matter anymore.

An Ya knew this was what Ye Lan despised the most. She smiled. "Maybe Jiang Chi himself is willing... Film Emperor Ye, everyone wants to climb higher."

"Then that's none of my business." Ye Lan took out a cigarette and held it between his lips. With two ladies, An Ya and Cen Wen, present, he didn't light it, merely holding it there. "If Yu Xinze really wants to contact Jiang Chi, I'm not his only way. He just wants me to put in a good word to make the signing easier. If I really stay out of it, he has other channels and methods. Let them be."

An Ya thought for a moment and smiled. "What's so good about Jiang Chi? Enough to make you feel so compassionate."

Ye Lan narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly. "He's a man, what is there for me to feel compassionate about? Jiang Chi hasn't been in this circle for just a year or two. He wouldn't be unaware of the situation over at Yu Xinze's. Even if he really doesn't know, he'd definitely ask around before signing. He's not stupid... He'll find out sooner or later. It's up to him. I just feel that he isn't suited for that path."

An Ya smiled and said, "But what if he gets the news and happily signs? When he finds out you once blocked his path, he might even hold a grudge against you."

Ye Lan lightly bit the cigarette filter and gave his agent a roguish smile. "Would I be afraid of him?"

Even though she had been with this master for nearly ten years, she could still be floored by him in an unguarded moment. An Ya closed her eyes and recited a calming mantra twice before asking, "What if he refuses?"

Ye Lan fell silent, pondering.

An Ya hesitated. "With his current popularity, staying at his original company is a waste of his talent. Going to Yu Xinze's isn't good either, according to you... Jiang Chi seems suitable for President Ye's Starlight Media."

President Ye, as in Ye Huaquan, Ye Lan's own uncle, the big boss of Starlight Media.

Starlight Media, a subsidiary of the Galaxy Film and Television Group, had a powerful backer. The artists they cultivated tended to take on more serious dramas, a more wholesome and proper path.

Ye Lan himself had spent two years at Starlight Media, so he was naturally clear about the situation with his uncle.

An Ya, trying to gauge Ye Lan's thoughts, smiled and suggested, "If Jiang Chi comes back and refuses Yu Xinze's offer, I could contact President Ye and see if I can help build that bridge."

Ye Lan finished his juice, handed the empty bottle to his assistant, and said neither yes nor no.

In the following days, the pace on set grew increasingly tight. To make matters worse, North City began to experience a sharp drop in temperature. Even at its warmest during the day, it was only minus four or five degrees Celsius. Filming outdoor scenes was unbearable.

"An actor in blue robes won't freeze to death, and one with a painted face won't die of heat." No matter how harsh the weather, the show had to go on. The crew and lighting staff could drink some white liquor to ward off the cold, but Ye Lan and Jiang Chi could only down hot ginger soup—alcohol would affect an actor's complexion and state, and unless the script required it, Director Ren never allowed actors to drink while filming.

Ye Lan and Jiang Chi drank ginger soup for over a week, and both of them felt overheated. The very smell of ginger made them want to vomit.

Wrapped in a thick down jacket, Ye Lan sat with Jiang Chi and Ren Haichuan around an electric heater, discussing the scene.

Jiang Chi's phone suddenly buzzed.

Jiang Chi silently switched his phone to silent mode. Ren Haichuan looked at him, uncharacteristically accommodating. "If you have something to deal with, go ahead. I'll talk to Ye Lan first."

"It's nothing." Jiang Chi smiled. "Please continue."

Ye Lan glanced at Jiang Chi, a thoughtful look on his face.

Ren Haichuan discussed the scene with the two of them for nearly half an hour, then called over the assistant director and art director. The group spent a long time poring over the storyboard drafts and finally settled on the parts to be changed. The assistant director hurried off to rearrange the set.

Director Ren checked the time and said, "We'll start rolling in half an hour."

With that, he dragged the art director over to the set to supervise.

Jiang Chi put his script aside, took out his phone, and walked out of the temporary lounge to make the call.

Ye Lan got up, leaned against the doorframe of the lounge, and lit a cigarette.

Outside, Jiang Chi's deliberately lowered voice passed through the thin door panel and reached the ears of the eavesdropper inside.

"Thank you, thank you."

"I know, you've worked hard."

"Please thank him for me, but I don't have any plans for that at the moment... yes, please trouble you to thank Teacher Yu for his high regard."

"Thank you too, yes, okay, I will consider it carefully."

Inside the lounge, Ye Lan took a drag from his cigarette, a hint of a smile gracing his lips.

After hanging up, Jiang Chi bounced back in, shivering, and smiled at Ye Lan. "It's so cold."

"There's ginger soup in the thermos." Ye Lan stood to one side, smoking, his brow slightly furrowed. "You drink it... I'm not having any more."

Jiang Chi glanced cautiously outside, then mysteriously took out a packet from his bag. He presented his treasure to Ye Lan, a little embarrassed. "Heat packs. Would you like to use one?"

Ye Lan chuckled softly. "Keep your voice down, Ren Haichuan doesn't allow them. Don't get him to scold you."

When filming, the two of them wore only a single shirt. If they put on a heat pack, any large movement could cause the shirt to tighten against their body, possibly revealing the outline of the pack. Ren Haichuan was a perfectionist and would never allow such a blunder to happen.

Jiang Chi's eyes lit up, and he whispered, "A friend of mine got me this kind, they're super thin! I tried it while wearing just a shirt, you can't see it. Director Ren won't know unless you say so."

Ye Lan raised an eyebrow and straightened up. "Really?"

Jiang Chi nodded. "Really!"

Jiang Chi unzipped his down jacket and lifted his shirt to give Ye Lan a look. "I have them on my back and chest, stuck on the outside of my undershirt. They're like a layer of fabric, and they don't get hard. You definitely can't see them. I have black, white, and light blue ones. Brother, wanna try?"

Jiang Chi looked nervously at the door, a little afraid that Ren Haichuan would suddenly walk in.

Ye Lan glanced at Jiang Chi's slim waist and firm abs, then stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and smiled. "Give me the black ones."

Jiang Chi was both worried about Ye Lan being cold and afraid that Ye Lan would think he wasn't professional. Seeing Ye Lan willing to try, he was overjoyed and happily took out the black ones from his bag.

Ye Lan looked at the heat packs in Jiang Chi's hands. "How do I use them?"

"Peel this part off, don't stick it directly on your skin... just stick it on the clothes you're wearing inside." Jiang Chi instructed earnestly. "Don't stick it on your joints, or it might become visible."

Jiang Chi glanced outside again and urged in a low voice, "Quick, hurry up, what if Director Ren comes back?"

Ye Lan unzipped his down jacket, looked from the heat pack in Jiang Chi's hand to Jiang Chi himself, and said, "Can you put it on for me?"

Jiang Chi was stunned and stammered, "Wh-what?"

"Help me out." Ye Lan unbuttoned his shirt from top to bottom and raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at? Don't want to? Should I call my assistant over?"

"No, no, no..."

Jiang Chi shook his head frantically. He swallowed, his fingertips trembling slightly as he peeled open a heat pack.

Jiang Chi moved to less than a foot away from Ye Lan, gently pulled Ye Lan's shirt outward, and stuck the heat pack onto Ye Lan's undershirt.

Ye Lan turned his body slightly, his back to the door. The two of them were like students cheating, constantly on guard for their head teacher Ren to burst in.

Ye Lan lifted his chin slightly to make it easier for Jiang Chi, his eyes lowered to watch him. He noticed that Jiang Chi was blushing.

Ye Lan couldn't resist whistling at Jiang Chi and said with a smile, "What? Is Brother's physique good?"

This was the first time Jiang Chi had been so close to Ye Lan outside of filming. Ye Lan's crisp scent enveloped him, and Jiang Chi was already finding it a little hard to breathe.

It was one thing to unbutton Ye Lan's shirt and apply a heat pack for him, but to be whistled at like a hooligan from such a close distance! Jiang Chi was screaming in his heart, 'Can Film Emperor Ye behave himself?!!'

Of course, being as timid as he was, Jiang Chi only dared to complain silently, his face red as he mumbled honestly, "Very good..."

Ye Lan smiled in satisfaction and turned around. "My back."

Jiang Chi diligently and with a red face carefully applied the heat pack to Ye Lan's back. After a moment's hesitation, he even straightened out the man's shirt.

"So considerate." Ye Lan smiled as he sat back down in his chair. "Let's run lines?"

Once Ye Lan was a meter away, Jiang Chi's breathing finally returned to normal.

While calming his racing heart, Jiang Chi replayed the scene in his mind a dozen times to deepen the memory. He only snapped back to reality when Ye Lan called his name a second time. He quickly grabbed his script, scurried over, and ran lines with Ye Lan while waiting for the director.