Chapter 67

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

The hospital visit was just an inconsequential interlude. After ‘visiting’ Shao Yanxi’s maternal grandfather, besides employing a few more bodyguards in their daily routines, Liu Yu’an and Shao Yanxi’s lives continue uninterrupted.

Meanwhile, Liu Yu’an calls up Zhao Xian when he is free one day to ask about the book.

Zhao Xian replies, “nothing has turned up yet. An-ge, are you sure there’s such a book?”

“You’ve looked through all the databases yet?”

‘Cause he isn’t sure such a book exists either.

“Gone through most of them; there’s still a few, though.”

Green Sprout is over a decade old now with millions of creations. Liu Yu’an only gave a plot summary, without the name of the book, names of the characters, name of the author, not even its detailed summary. It takes time.

“I see. Just keep looking through, and tell me when you’re done.”

“Sure.”

After that, Liu Yu’an calls Zhuang Feiyu to ask as well. He said he would check up on the people in charge of it.

Later, ‘You Are My Youth and My Warmth’ is starting up. Director Wang isn’t usually as superstitious, so the ceremony is simple.

The male lead this time is a student still in acting school. He’s only 18.

The female lead is an experienced actress who has been in the industry since childhood. She’s 21 now, and she’s talented, so much so that she has a reputation for being the best child actress this generation.

Though she isn’t exactly high profile or popular, she does command more respect than other actresses her age; the amount of box office profits through her career is already over a billion RMB, apparently.

She’s a favourite of directors and investors.

That said, Liu Yu’an is still the most publicly popular celebrity in the entire cast, and also the only one to have joined with funds. Therefore, though he’s a side character, he also has his own resting area.

His first scene starts in the afternoon. Due to the recent, perhaps unwanted popularity, he decides to spend his morning holed up relaxing in the room, speaking with Shao Yanxi on video chat, only hanging up when Shao Yanxi has to participate in a meeting.

Bored after a while, Liu Yu’an decides to quietly slink off to the corners of the studio to watch the leads perform.

The female lead really is talented, so much so the male lead is barely able to follow. They’ve been stuck on this first scene, for example, for a while now. They’re at Take something-teen already.

Since this is a movie, even though director He did have a high demand for his drama in Liu Yu’an’s previous job, director Wang’s expectations are even higher.

Liu Yu’an looks at director Wang teaching the male lead, and feels like it might take a while. So after telling the director’s assistant, he takes Xu Qingqing and xiao-Zhang to go get lunch.

Many others can’t help but wish they could also be like that, like the extras who are obscure and are staying behind hoping that the director might remember them. “If only one day we could be like An-ge” is a common sentiment here.

The person of their sentiment, meanwhile, finished their lunch in a restaurant in a rather private spot. When they are heading back, they happen to come across Qin Lin at the entrance to the studio building. He greets Liu Yu’an, saying “An-shao.”

“Qin-ge? You’re…”

Qin Lin answers with a smile, “I got a small role,” it sounds like he really has completely got over the unfortunate incident before. At least, Liu Yu’an can’t discern any grudge from his tone. He can’t help but be impressed once again.

He bids him good luck, and walk inside only to realise their two casts are working right next to each other’s studio. Qin Lin chuckles, “pretty coincidental, huh.” Liu Yu’an agrees, then parts with him.

In the end, Liu Yu’an’s afternoon part got delayed all the way until the night. When he’s finished, it’s sleeting. First snow of the year. Liu Yu’an pulls his clothes tighter. Looks like he’ll have to get the winter clothes out now.

Xu Qingqing is only in a thin jacket. She’s freezing. So the three of them quickly jumps into the car. Xiao-Zhang starts the car and the heating. The car starts to warm up.

On the way, Liu Yu’an asks Shao Yanxi whether he’s had dinner yet.

“Not yet,” Shao Yanxi asks, “when are you coming home?”

The studio building is only an hour and a bit from their home, so Liu Yu’an decided not to live in the staff’s hotel earlier.

“We’re just starting the car, it’ll be an hour at least.”

It’s already past nine already. While they’d have an easier time driving with less traffic, it’s already really late too.

“I’ll call takeout then. What do you want?”

“I’ll be good with anything.”

“Steamed ribs? Braised fish…?” Shao Yanxi starts listing.

“Let’s have ribs tonight and fish tomorrow,” Liu Yu’an had fish already at that restaurant earlier.

When he is finally home, the takeout is already here. Shao Yanxi has confirmed the time he will be back a while ago so he moved the meal from the takeout box to the dishes just in time.

“There’s snow in the rain outside. It’s super cold,” Liu Yu’an says, rubbing his hands together.

The heating is on inside already, so it’s warm. Liu Yu’an takes his coat off and hangs it on the rack at the door.

“Do you want a warm shower first?” Shao Yanxi walks over and holds Liu Yu’an’s hand to warm him up. He came home earlier, and it wasn’t snowing yet, so he wasn’t too cold.

“It’s alright. I’ll warm up soon enough,” Liu Yu’an says, lowering his head and kissing Shao Yanxi’s forehead, and asks with a chuckle, “missed me?”

Shao Yanxi gives him a glance and doesn’t answer, instead, he says, “the takeout is here already. Wash up and let’s eat already.”

Liu Yu’an ‘mm’s and enters the bathroom. After washing his hands, he thinks about how he’ll probably be really late coming home in the coming days and discusses with Shao Yanxi, “should we hire a domestic worker? Or ask auntie Qin to come cook for us for a while? It’s not good to always have takeout.”

Auntie Qin is the domestic worker of the original ‘Liu Yu’an.’ Shao Yanxi didn’t want anyone else in their house so Liu Yu’an sent her back to the Liu family residence. Now there are two domestic workers there.

Shao Yanxi pauses and stares at the meal in front of him for a while before saying, “I’ll learn.”

Liu Yu’an goes “?” before getting it, as Shao Yanxi clarifies himself, “I’ll find a chef to teach me cooking tomorrow.”

Although Liu Yu’an doesn’t get why he seems so repulsed to even having someone else in the household, but he explains himself again, “I don’t mean to… You know. It’s just that I can’t make lunch for you while working and I’ll probably be late for dinner too. It’s bad for your body and stomach to eat so much takeout.”

“It won’t be.” Shao Yanxi says. He only orders custom takeout from a designated hotel restaurant. They’re nutritious and delicious.

“Nevermind then, if you really don’t want to,” then Liu Yu’an warns him, “don’t try to learn to cook.”

‘Talent’ really does exist. Shao Yanxi is naturally talented in commerce and finance, but when it comes to cooking? Liu Yu’an thinks he should be thanking the Heavens if he doesn’t end up blowing up the kitchen somehow.

He would rather not bring pain to any chef who probably loves cooking by inflicting them with watching Shao Yanxi ruin a kitchen.

Shao Yanxi sounds dissatisfied, however, and says, “I can learn.”

“I’m not saying you can’t, but I’m just worried you’d get hurt, you know?”

Shao Yanxi says, “hmph, so you just don’t believe in me.”

What, did he think he wouldn’t get it when it’s dressed in nice terms?

Liu Yu’an praises him some more with colourful words; Shao Yanxi is easy to soothe.

He successfully dissuades him from trying his hand at cooking.

A few days later, Evernight is going to air, right on time for New Year’s.

Liu Yu’an has finished his part already in ‘You Are My Youth and My Warmth’ by 4:30 in the afternoon for once. So he could go home early. On the way, Xiao-Zhang reminds him, “An-ge, Evernight’s airing tonight, and so the team will share the official WeChat post.”

“Sure.”

Then Liu Yu’an opens up WeChat, and sees there’s a lot of discussion on their chat group.

Hou_Yueting: [I hope we get 2 and even 3 in ratings! Or even more!]

Zhang_Jiahe: [Anxious.jpg]

Mu_Rui: [takeoff!.jpg]

Director_He: [We’ve done everything we could, so all we could do is pray. But I believe in everyone’s acting! We can do it!]

Director_He: [Cheer.jpg]

Hou_Yueting: [The director is right! We’ve already done everything we could. Come on, everyone! Let’s wait and cheer for our success!]

They’ve been working hard on marketing the drama on variety shows and even some livestreaming sites and putting ads everywhere online. They’ve done literally everything they could.

Everyone is nervous for the result.

Liu Yu’an can’t exactly empathise, unfortunately, though the mood of the conversation does also make him a bit nervous and expectant for the result.

So after dinner, he drags Shao Yanxi to the TV; though Shao Yanxi instead produces a complete copy of ‘Evernight,’ saying, “I’ve got the complete blu-ray edition already.”

Shao Yanxi is going to open the computer but Liu Yu’an stops him, saying, “it’s more interesting following dramas online and looking at comment barrages.”

Then he opens the online platform and pays for the membership fee, and opens up Evernight. It’s already 10 past 8, so the show has been playing for 10 minutes already.

The comment barrage are all saying how good-looking the leads are, and occasionally some comment also asks when the Emperor of the Yaoguai is coming, with some worrying whether the Emperor will drag the entire drama down.

While they’re watching it on their widescreen TV, unbeknownst to them, there’s already a flame war online under the official account of the Evernight production team that’s badmouthing Liu Yu’an and the team, about how bad Liu Yu’an’s acting is, and how the team have chosen money over quality picking Liu Yu’an.

Naturally, though, given Liu Yu’an’s recent popularity, there are also people defending him. And an internet flamewar is born afresh, with both sides accusing the other of employing bots or whatever.

Liu Yu’an only learned of this when Ren Jianzhang called, who says, “the director wants us to let the discussion be. Your acting was good so they could blarp all they want, even adding popularity to Evernight. When your parts come up in a few days, it’ll be a pretty dramatic development too. The director has promised to speak up for you then and we can also try to fan the discussion then. We plan to get rid of your ‘bad at acting’ label then. What do you think?”

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

Liu Yu’an really doesn’t care one way or the other. Instead, he would much rather know what Jiang He is doing and whether this virtual world contains itself as a novel.

And so it’s all set.

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