Chapter 7

Chapter 7

By the time he consoled Lin Yiyue and left the mansion, it was already midnight.

Xie Yezhou drove alone back to the film crew's hotel. On the way, he rolled down his windows completely, letting the wind generated from the high-speed drive hit what fans lovingly referred to as the "face of an angel."

It wasn't until he reached the underground parking lot of the hotel that Xie Yezhou sat in his car for quite some time before finally stepping out.

By morning, the sky outside was perfectly clear, a pristine shade of blue that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Ding-dong, ding-dong."

After the doorbell rang over and over, Ning Yuyi finally mustered the energy to get up, shuffling in his slippers, sleepily making his way to the door.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." Xie Yezhou steadied a drowsy Ning Yuyi, guiding him back into the room. As they passed the dining table, he placed the breakfast he brought onto it, "Freshen up and have breakfast. We have an early shoot today, so you need to start makeup soon."

"Mm, got it..." Reminded by Xie Yezhou's words, Ning Yuyi tried to open his eyes wider, yawning all the way to the bathroom to freshen up.

After freshening up, a much more awake Ning Yuyi changed into a simple T-shirt, joining Xie Yezhou at the dining table to finish breakfast.

"Finish your milk." Xie Yezhou tapped the table, signaling Ning Yuyi not to neglect his milk.

Realizing he couldn't feign ignorance of the milk, Ning Yuyi sighed dejectedly, "I'm already twenty-two, drinking more milk won't make me grow taller."

"Then consider it as a nutritional supplement. You're drinking it."

Rebuffed by Xie Yezhou, Ning Yuyi made a face and gulped down the milk in one go, "Done."

Xie Yezhou gave a satisfied nod, and together they headed to the film set.

Last night's scant three hours of sleep seemed to have no effect on Xie Yezhou, who, as usual, sat impassively as makeup artists worked on him.

Generally, the crew's schedule is meticulously planned. Except for special cases where they need to shoot on location, they wouldn't schedule morning and evening scenes back-to-back, risking actor fatigue.

Today's shoot went smoothly, and by late afternoon, Ning Yuyi finished his last scene, removing his makeup alongside Xie Yezhou.

Zhou Erhe was unexpectedly occupied today and didn't accompany Ning Yuyi to the set. So, after the shoot, Xie Yezhou called for Ning Yuyi to join him on the way back.

Xie Yezhou's exclusive trailer was parked not far from the theater's entrance. As they walked and discussed some minor unsatisfactory aspects of the day's filming, they quickly reached the trailer.

As Ning Yuyi was about to climb into the vehicle, his gaze shifted to a crowd gathered on the other side of the set's entrance, "Hey, isn't that Zhang Yang?"

Xie Yezhou followed Ning Yuyi's pointed direction and sure enough, saw Zhang Yang wearing sunglasses, speaking with fans beside his car, with his assistant by his side.

"Didn't the production team ban fans from taking photos on set?" Zhang Xueyong took spoilers seriously. He had already informed them about the strict no-photography rule to prevent any leaks regarding costumes, makeup, or props. Everyone working on set had signed confidentiality agreements.

Xie Yezhou shook his head, signaling he was unaware.

The exit path wasn't very wide. Zhang Yang's fans had congregated, effectively blocking the way, making it impossible for the sizable trailer to leave.

Yao Yao had no choice but to negotiate. However, as she began to speak, she was immediately interrupted by the fans.

"We'll leave soon. Can't you wait just a bit?"

"Typical. You'd think it's Xie Yezhou's assistant who built this road. So arrogant!"

"Forget it. It's rare to see our idol. I want to look a bit longer."

"Ah, he looks so handsome with those sunglasses!"

……

Ning Yuyi watched Yao Yao stride back angrily and could already predict the unfavorable outcome.

"What's wrong with Zhang Yang? He just stood there ignoring me. His fans are acting like lunatics," Yao Yao exclaimed, clearly aggravated. "But I noticed Zhang Yang still had his makeup on. Is it alright for him to let his fans take pictures like that?"

"With the sunglasses on, it should be fine," Ning Yuyi hesitated.

Just as Ning Yuyi finished speaking, he saw Zhang Yang remove his sunglasses, wave to the fans, and then, with a perfect smile, start signing autographs for a few nearby fans.

Ning Yuyi: "Um..."

"Yao Yao, get in touch with Zhang Xueyong," Xie Yezhou commented indifferently and got into the car.

Ning Yuyi shrugged, and after observing for a while and finding it monotonous, he too got into the vehicle.

"Fruit." Xie Yezhou slid a bowl of washed fruit towards Ning Yuyi.

"Oh, thanks, brother." Ning Yuyi casually picked up a grape, munching as he asked, "Hey, how do you think the director will handle Zhang Yang?"

"I'm not sure," Xie Yezhou frowned. "Eat more, talk less. You're too thin."

"Am I still thin?" Ning Yuyi recalled the previous night when Zhou Erhe had insisted he step on a scale, "I've gained two pounds."

"Still thin."

Alright then, if you say so.

Ning Yuyi puffed out his cheeks and finished all the fruit in the bowl.

Yao Yao had been observing the group outside. Seeing that they were finally dispersing, she folded her umbrella and entered the vehicle, "They're leaving, Mr. Xie."

Xie Yezhou flipped a page in the fashion magazine he was reading, not sparing Yao Yao a glance.

In no time, the vehicle roared to life and began its journey.

Ning Yuyi felt a bit stifled. Considering there were no paparazzi around the filming site, he ventured to the back and cracked open a window for some fresh air.

Peering through the window, Ning Yuyi saw Zhang Yang had already boarded his trailer and left, leaving behind clusters of fans discussing their way home.

The set didn't allow taxis or rideshares to enter. After some deliberation, the fans concluded that their only option was to walk out.

Among the crowd, Ning Yuyi noticed a short-haired girl standing desolately on the side. Her downcast demeanor contrasted starkly with the ecstatic fans around her.

Suddenly, an overenthusiastic fan accidentally bumped into the girl, causing her to stagger into the path of the trailer just a few meters ahead.

Without thinking, Ning Yuyi blurted, "Watch out!"

The girl, pale from shock, instinctively raised her arms to shield her face.

Thankfully, Xie Yezhou's driver was experienced. Noticing the girl in the road, he slammed the brakes, stopping the vehicle just a meter away from her.

Huang Yumeng became a fan of Zhang Yang only two months ago. She was a moderately popular blogger on Weibo, known for sharing images of handsome celebrities.

After a friend introduced her to a striking photo of Zhang Yang, she became an instant fan.

This fan meet-up was a spontaneous event organized in their fan group. While most attendees were long-time fans, Huang, despite her recent fandom, was included due to her talent in creating videos and graphics for the group.

However, this encounter was a huge letdown.

Huang realized that the photos she adored bore little resemblance to the real Zhang Yang. He was, in her opinion, a "camera fraud."

This reality deeply affected Huang, who was particular about appearances. Throughout Zhang Yang's interaction with the fans, she remained detached and dazed until his departure.

That was, until the accident.

When she stumbled into the road, she was paralyzed with fear. In that split second, she even pondered if her bank balance would suffice to support her parents in their old age.

Luckily, the driver's prompt response prevented a tragedy.

Picking herself up from the ground, Huang noticed that none of the fans who once affectionately called her 'sister' in their group chats came to her aid. Even the fan who had bumped into her didn't offer an apology.

Once she was sure of her safety, Huang sought the voice that had warned her. Just before Ning Yuyi closed the window, she caught a glimpse of his soft brown hair and fair face.

A thought struck Huang: she might've spotted a young heir from a prestigious family.

She watched, transfixed, as the trailer drove away. Without uttering a word to the surrounding fans of Zhang Yang, she left the scene on her own.

Today's events pushed Huang Yumeng to rescind her fandom for Zhang Yang. Upon returning home, the first thing she did was exit all of Zhang Yang's fan group chats.

After leaving the groups, Huang Yumeng felt a surge of relief. She lay on her bed, letting her mind wander.

Today's series of events had allowed her to breathe more freely than she had in a long time.

"Thankfully, I've only used my alt accounts when following Zhang Yang." Huang Yumeng sighed, then suddenly thought of that cute little fluff she saw.

"He's so incredibly handsome, like a little elf." Unable to resist, Huang Yumeng hugged her plush dog and rolled around on the bed, "He was in Xie Yezhou's RV. Is he a friend of Xie Yezhou?"

"Such a beautiful face, and now I may never see it again. I didn't even get a chance to take a photo. Ahhh!" Thinking she might never see that cute fluff again, Huang Yumeng rolled even more vigorously on the bed, finally stopping abruptly to post on her main social media account.

VanillaMud: Ahhh! A small accident almost landed me in the hospital today. Luckily, I've been living a devout life (yeah right) which saved me. But, I saw an extremely handsome guy, exactly like the proud and cute young master from novels (didn’t get a pic because everything happened so fast). The thought of not seeing him again makes me so sad.

[??? Suddenly intrigued]

[No pic, no proof (scoffs) (scoffs)]

[Oh no, Mud, are you okay? (No pic, no proof)]

[You acting all devout, yet I've seen you laugh harder than anyone at meat jokes. (Also, no pic, no proof)]

……

After a "battle" with her fans in the comments, Huang Yumeng received a message from her bestie.

Her bestie had also been roped into becoming a fan of Zhang Yang by her. After un-fanning, on her way back, she had a long lament with her bestie, who was busy with work and could only reply to her now.

VanillaMud (Huang Yumeng): Sent you the unedited pics. Thoughts?

VanillaMud: Being a fan of Zhang Yang is an insult to my profession of appreciating handsome men.

Can I Have A Day Off (Ping Tongxin): Honestly, I'm shocked.

Can I Have A Day Off: Thank God I was too busy with work to attend the fan meeting...

VanillaMud: But I saw a little fluff today! So adorable!

VanillaMud: It lifted my spirits, but I wonder if he's a celebrity. I hope I can see him again.

Can I Have A Day Off: Please retract that unedited pic of Zhang Yang, it's an eyesore. What kind of person did I become a fan of?

VanillaMud: Check the timestamp! Posted 3 hours ago! Can't take it down now! I deleted it from my end; you do the same.

Can I Have A Day Off: Done, feels good to have a clean slate. Also, I'm quite curious about this fluffy guy you mentioned.

VanillaMud: By the way, those fans of Zhang Yang made me so mad today. I left all the groups and deleted them. I still have some video materials that I didn't send to them. Can you send them later?

Can I Have A Day Off: I'm fuming! Not surprised they're Zhang Yang fans, with such attitudes. I left the groups too, so infuriating.

Ping Tongxin sent all the video materials Huang Yumeng shared with her to the group, categorized and explained. However, while posting, she accidentally shared screenshots of their conversation about unfanning and the little fluff.

Damn, my clumsy hands.

Ping Tongxin quickly retracted the mistakenly sent screenshots and left the group in a haste.

After informing Huang Yumeng about the situation, she consoled him, "After all, both of us use alt accounts. They won't find out much. It's just a mistake."

The two calmed down and began sharing pictures of handsome men with each other.

Can I Have A Day Off: I saw my boss today! He's so incredibly handsome; I'm dying!

VanillaMud: Xie Yinan? He's so handsome! His younger brother, Xie Yezhou, still occupies a special place in my heart with his looks!

Can I Have A Day Off: Too bad I only saw my boss for a brief moment. But that cute fluff you mentioned was in Xie Yezhou's RV. Do all good-looking people just hang out with other good-looking people?

VanillaMud: sobbing cat emoji.JPG

Can I Have A Day Off: crying dramatically emoji.JPG

……

The next morning, Ning Yuyi was still in a daze from sleep when the doorbell rang frantically.

Wrapping himself in the blanket, Ning Yuyi buried his ears, only a tuft of soft hair exposed, gently swaying with the breeze from the air conditioner.

Five minutes later, the persistent ringing forced Ning Yuyi to get up. Eyes closed, he stumbled to the door and mumbled, "Who... uh..."

"Ning Yuyi, wake up!" As soon as the door opened, Zhou Erhe grabbed his shoulders and shook him vigorously. "Come on, you've been doxxed!"

Ning Yuyi didn't respond, going limp and leaning against Zhou Erhe, drifting back into sleep.

Zhou Erhe: ...

"Damn it, wake up!" Zhou Erhe wished he could splash cold water on Ning Yuyi to snap him out of it.

After exerting a great deal of effort, Zhou Erhe finally managed to rouse Ning Yuyi somewhat.

"Alright, tell me slowly." Lying on the couch, Ning Yuyi tried to recover, "If it's not as serious as you say, I'll end you today."

Ning Yuyi, forcibly awakened at 5 in the morning, was filled with resentment.

"Look at this." Zhou Erhe thrust his phone into Ning Yuyi's hand.

Ten minutes later, Ning Yuyi finally grasped the situation.

"They're saying, I, as a newcomer, am not fit for this role?" Sniffling, Ning Yuyi re-read the message, narrowing his eyes, "Who is this? A book fan?"

Some diehard fans of novels are protective of certain characters, feeling no one is worthy of portraying their beloved characters.

It's not unusual. Ning Yuyi had seen Xie Yezhou being criticized for not fitting a protagonist's look. But with a strong fanbase, Xie Yezhou's supporters could easily refute.

However, being a small celebrity with almost no fanbase, Ning Yuyi expected some harsh criticism from the book's fans.

"It's not a fan of the book," Zhou Erhe said slowly, looking directly into Ning Yuyi's eyes, "It's a mega-fan of Zhang Yang."

Zhang Yang?

Ning Yuyi paused in the act of shutting off his phone. "What did I do to him?"

"You dare ask what you did... After all those sarcastic remarks on the set, did you expect him to just swallow it?"

"On-set conflicts shouldn’t be taken to social media, Zhang Yang knows that." Ning Yuyi scrolled through the comments, finding them heavily moderated with many demanding he leave the project and calling for the director to replace him.

Scrolling rapidly, Ning Yuyi asked, "Does the PR department know about this?"

"They do." Zhou Erhe's whole demeanor became tense upon mentioning the company. "But they aren't intervening, saying you bring zero value to them currently. They argue it's not worth their effort to deal with Zhang Yang's fans."

Zhou Erhe spat out, "Bullshit. Don't think I don't know they're just being lazy. With our company's resources, managing Zhang Yang's fans should be a piece of cake."

"The company is just being capitalistic, as expected," Ning Yuyi sighed. "For now, let's see. I'll visit the set to get a feel for the director's stance."

By 8 am, the late May sun was already fully risen.

After finishing his breakfast, Ning Yuyi noticed Zhou Erhe was still on the couch, closely monitoring comments.

"Stop looking and come eat before the food gets cold." Approaching, Ning Yuyi took away his phone, "You can't solve this just by staring at it."

Zhou Erhe remained seated, gripping his phone tightly, his voice shaky, "Don't you think I'm a useless manager?"

"Hmm?" Placing the phone on the table, Ning Yuyi responded, "You buy me food, play games with me. How are you useless?"

"Weren't you the one who protected me during that team fight?"

"And wasn't it you who bought me late-night snacks the other day?"

"Oh, but two nights ago you stole my chicken wing."

"Stole, my foot! That wing was mine to begin with, and you took my drumstick!" Zhou Erhe couldn't resist retorting.

Ning Yuyi didn't respond but just gazed at him with sparkling eyes and broke into a grin.

Zhou Erhe felt his heart melt at Ning Yuyi's smile, rubbing his temple, "Alright, alright, I'll eat."

After hastily finishing breakfast, Zhou Erhe lay on the couch, waiting for his full stomach to settle, and casually picked up his phone to check the comments' direction.

To his surprise, the post had been deleted.

"Ning Yuyi, come here!" Ignoring his full stomach, Zhou Erhe sat up straight, "The post from Zhang Yang's superfan is gone."

Absorbed in his script, Ning Yuyi was momentarily lost in his character and didn't react immediately.

"Hmm?"

"Put down the script for a second. What's going on?" Zhou Erhe checked his work WeChat repeatedly, "The PR department didn't inform me of anything. They indeed didn't intervene. So, who handled this?"

"Hmm... I honestly have no idea," Ning Yuyi replied, looking puzzled, his script still in hand.

"Could it be... Xie Yezhou?" Zhou Erhe pondered, stroking an imaginary beard on his chin, "Only he has the clout to mobilize the company personnel like this."

After all, being the second heir of Fenghua, wouldn’t the PR department heed his call?

Ning Yuyi, still puzzled by the events, received reassurance from Zhou Erhe, "Don't worry. I'll go and speak to Xie Yezhou. You stay here and focus on the script."

"Hmm?" Ning Yuyi responded with a touch of hesitation, "Alright then."

It was indeed Xie Yezhou who took care of the matter.

Yao Yao, as his assistant, constantly monitored the social media of the cast and crew to prevent any mischief behind their backs.

When she saw Zhang Yang's most devoted fans rallying against Ning Yuyi, she immediately informed Xie Yezhou.

Knowing full well how fond her boss was of Ning Yuyi, she wasted no time and resolved the entire issue within an hour upon receiving orders.

"All done. We've also warned Zhang Yang's side," Yao Yao said, closing her laptop and taking a breath, "It’s apparent that it was Zhang Yang's team who orchestrated this. One of Zhang Yang's top fans inadvertently shared a chat screenshot while badmouthing Zhang Yang."

At this point, Yao Yao couldn't help facepalming, "Most importantly, while criticizing Zhang Yang's looks, the fan kept praising Ah Yi. Knowing Zhang Yang's temper, there’s no way he could've let that slide."

Thus, this whole fiasco ensued.

"By the way, Ah Yi really is quite handsome. The fan's description in that screenshot was quite accurate," Yao Yao mused, resting her chin on her hand, "He does seem like a precious young master, or a little elf who secretly ventured out from his forest."

Finishing his breakfast gracefully, Xie Yezhou said after wiping his mouth, "Log into my Weibo account and post a photo of Ning Yuyi."

"Brother Xie," Yao Yao paused, taken aback, "Are you planning to boost his visibility?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll get on it right away." Yao Yao felt a surge of emotion, realizing just how special Ning Yuyi was to Xie Yezhou.

She had worked with Xie Yezhou for years, and this was the first time she'd seen him treat someone with such care.

Even Fenghua's CEO, Xie Yezhou's elder brother Xie Yinan, had never received such treatment.

But indeed, one look at Ah Yi evoked the desire to pamper him as a younger sibling. She too wished to be Ah Yi's elder sister!

"After this, he'll have officially entered the entertainment circle," stated Xie Yezhou, "Once Zhang Kang returns, you won't be as busy. You can then assist him, manage his fan community."

"What?" Yao Yao exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Your salary and position remain unchanged, and his future peak will be no less than mine."

"Understood."

By 8 am, Xie Yezhou, noting the time, got ready to head to the set.

However, just as he approached the door, his phone rang.

Taking it out, he saw that the caller was Xie Yinan.

Xie Yinan would not call him unless it was something important.

"Hey, big brother."

"Yinan." A rare serious tone came from the other end of the phone. "Come home. We've received news from the police about the incident from twenty-two years ago."

……

Xie Yiezhou managed to make a two-hour drive in just one hour. Upon arriving home, he quickly parked outside and rushed in.

"Mom, Dad." Xie Yiezhou took a few swift steps to Xie Yinan's side. "Brother, what's going on?"

"Uncle Yang just called." Lin Yiyue wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Xiao Mumu wasn't left on the roadside by them and wasn't taken to the explosion site."

Xie Lou embraced his wife sympathetically, "After the incident years ago, we turned the city upside down and found no reports of an abandoned baby dying."

"So, Xiao Mumu must have been taken by a passerby," Xie Yinan continued.

"Have the local residents been questioned?"

"Yes, but to no avail. We're now investigating all the orphanages in the city."

……

When Xie Yiezhou left the Xie residence, he felt an unusual surge of excitement.

Due to his sudden trip home, the director had to film scenes with Ning Yuyi and Zhang Yang first. By the time Xie Yiezhou returned to the set, Ning Yuyi was asleep on a small sofa in the resting room.

Xie Yiezhou gestured for silence to Yao Yao behind him.

Zhou Erhe, upon unexpectedly seeing Xie Yiezhou who'd been absent due to unforeseen circumstances, instinctively looked towards Ning Yuyi and began, "Today..."

But Zhou Erhe had barely spoken two words when Xie Yiezhou interrupted him.

"Shh, let him sleep. We'll talk later."

By the time Ning Yuyi woke up fully, the first thing he saw was Zhou Erhe's face close to his.

"??!" Startled, Ning Yuyi wrapped himself with the thin blanket, "What are you doing, Brother Zhou?"

Zhou Erhe closed his mouth and motioned with his eyes for Ning Yuyi to look in the other direction.

"Hm?" Ning Yuyi followed his gaze, "Brother Xie, you're back."

"Mhm." Xie Yiezhou, as usual, was brief, setting the script aside, "Are there scenes to shoot tonight?"

"Yes, with you." Ning Yuyi yawned and stretched, fully awake now, "Have you had dinner, Brother Xie?"

Xie Yiezhou shook his head.

"I'll order takeout. What would you like?" Ning Yuyi excitedly opens the Meituan app, deciding on which restaurant to order from, "I feel like having some

crayfish

today."

"Sure, but avoid anything cold to drink."

"Got it."

An hour later.

Four people sit around a small table, in front of them are four big boxes of crayfish.

Each box with a different flavor.

Yao Yao and Zhou Er sit opposite each other, hurriedly putting on disposable gloves and beginning to eat.

Ning Yuyi selects one with a five-spice flavor, peeling out the succulent tail meat and placing it in Xie Yezhou's bowl.

"Hmm?" Xie Yezhou looks up.

"The five-spice crayfish is exceptional. Try it, Brother Xie."

"Alright."

As they eat, Zhou Er mentions the incident with Zhang Yang's die-hard fan that morning.

"Yes, I took care of it personally. Zhang Yang's manager has been warned by us," Yao Yao says while eating a crayfish tail, her face red from the spice, "Don't worry, our methods were clean."

Zhou Er: ...

Ning Yuyi and Xie Yiezhou refrained from joining the conversation, focusing instead on their crawfish meal, occasionally sipping their drinks.

"You should cut back on the cola; they say it affects fertility. It's not good for your health," Zhou Erhe remarked, noticing Ning Yuyi take another big gulp and nudging him with his elbow.

"Stop believing in that geriatric pseudoscience. The idea that cola affects fertility is just nonsense," Ning Yuyi grumbled, holding onto his drink defensively. Seeking validation, he turned to his ally, "Don't you agree, Brother Xie?"

"True," Xie Yiezhou lifted his gaze, his long bangs, styled for a period drama, swayed slightly with his movement. "But carbonated drinks can lead to osteoporosis and stunt growth."

Ning Yuyi was elated when Xie Yiezhou initially agreed with him. But the subsequent statement dampened his mood, making the cola suddenly less appealing.

Seeing Ning Yuyi push the cola aside with a huff, Zhou Erhe couldn't help but flash a triumphant smile. He peeled a crawfish tail, offering it to Ning Yuyi as a gesture of comfort. But just as he did, he noticed Xie Yiezhou skillfully sliding a bowl full of peeled crawfish towards Ning Yuyi.

Zhou Erhe paused, holding the crawfish in suspension, suddenly realizing something profound.

It wasn't until Yao Yao nudged him curiously that he snapped back to the moment.

"What's on your mind? You seemed miles away," Yao Yao remarked, discarding a shrimp shell.

"Ah, nothing, it's nothing," Zhou Erhe quickly responded, repeating himself as he tried to suppress his shock. He shot a glance at Xie Yiezhou, immediately averting his gaze, fearing he'd be noticed.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the lounge door, which jolted Zhou Erhe to attention. "Who is it?"

"I'll get it." Yao Yao removed her disposable gloves and opened the door.

"Director, what brings you here... Mr. Fan?!" Yao Yao was first taken aback to see Director Zhang Xueyong unexpectedly at the lounge but was even more stunned to spot the man standing behind him.

Mr. Fan?

It took a moment for Ning Yuyi's brain to process who "Mr. Fan" was.

Instantly, memories of that chiseled face and deep-set eyes flooded back.

"I brought Mr. Fan to check out our lounge," Zhang Xueyong said with a cheerful grin, stepping aside and gesturing for Fan Zhongchuan to enter.

Fan Zhongchuan was, as always, impeccably dressed in a dark black suit, albeit with different gold threads and patterns than Ning Yuyi had seen on previous occasions.

It was evidently expensive.

Ning Yuyi was taken aback.

"Enjoying some crayfish, I see." Zhang Xueyong followed Fan Zhongchuan inside. "Carry on with your meal; I just wanted Mr. Fan to have a look around."

"Director Zhang, Mr. Fan, care to join us?" Ning Yuyi gestured to the crayfish and the group, extending an invitation.

"I'll pass. Still have work to attend to," Zhang Xueyong hurriedly declined. But before he could finish, a deep voice interrupted.

"Sure."

For a moment, Zhang Xueyong was frozen in place, surprised that Fan Zhongchuan had actually accepted Ning Yuyi's invitation. It wasn't until Yao Yao and Zhou Erhe moved a stool inviting Fan Zhongchuan to sit that he came back to his senses.

"Uh, Mr. Fan..." Unsure of whether to stay or leave and feeling awkward about his earlier refusal, Zhang Xueyong hesitated.

Just as Ning Yuyi was about to speak up, Xie Yiezhou swiftly fed him a piece of crayfish tail, effectively cutting him off.

"Take care, Director Zhang. We won't see you out," Yao Yao, having worked closely with Xie Yiezhou for years and understanding his intentions, promptly escorted Zhang Xueyong out.

Fan Zhongchuan picked up the stool Zhou Erhe had arranged for him and took a seat without any hesitation. He clumsily started peeling the crayfish after donning a new pair of disposable gloves.

After a few moments, Ning Yuyi couldn't bear to watch. "Press down on the head, pull it apart, then squeeze the tail slightly to get the meat out."

Following Ning Yuyi's demonstration, Fan Zhongchuan mimicked the process and peeled an even more perfectly intact crayfish tail.

Then, to Zhou Erhe's astonishment, Fan Zhongchuan placed the tail meat he had just peeled into Ning Yuyi's bowl.

Following suit, Xie Yiezhou and Fan Zhongchuan seemed to compete, handing peeled crayfish tails to Ning Yuyi one after the other. Even Ning Yuyi, who had been engrossed in eating, noticed something was amiss.

Holding his small bowl, Ning Yuyi found it quickly overflowing with peeled crayfish tails.

Staring bewildered at the pile of seafood in front of him, Ning Yuyi momentarily found himself at a loss on how to proceed.

"I'm done eating," Ning Yuyi carefully placed his small bowl on the table, eager to escape the tension-filled atmosphere. "Brother Xie, Mr. Fan, I'll go review the script."

Xie Yiezhou, in the midst of peeling crayfish, paused and quietly responded.

As Ning Yuyi made his exit, Zhou Erhe noticed Xie Yiezhou and Fan Zhongchuan simultaneously cease their actions, discarding their half-peeled crayfish and standing up to leave.

Before his departure, Xie Yiezhou instructed Yao Yao to dispose of the bowl filled to the brim with crayfish.

Zhou Erhe's eyes widened in disbelief. With everyone gone, he paced anxiously around the lounge.

Upon returning from the restroom, Ning Yuyi was greeted with this scene.

"What's up? Need the restroom? It's free now," Ning Yuyi pointed in the direction of the bathroom.

"I don't need the damn restroom," Zhou Erhe couldn't help but swear. "Haven't you noticed today's weird vibes?"

"I did find it a bit odd," Ning Yuyi pondered. "When Mr. Fan handed me the crayfish, I had my last words all planned out."

"...", Zhou Erhe looked at Ning Yuyi somberly, "Did you date anyone in high school or college?"

"No, our teachers always said not to date too early, right?"

"Oh, what a good, obedient student you were."

Realizing his artist was a complete novice in matters of love, Zhou Erhe's worries somewhat alleviated.

After leaving the lounge, Fan Zhongchuan departed from the film set.

"Mr. Fan," his assistant, already waiting outside, promptly opened the car door for him as he approached. "Heading back to the office?"

"Yes," Fan Zhongchuan took a seat in the car, pulling down the privacy partition before closing his eyes, leaning back in relaxation.

With the day's peculiar emotions lingering in his mind, visions of Ning Yuyi conversing and eating before him occupied his thoughts, eliciting a peculiar itch in his heart.

From the front seat, the driver, steering steadily, curiously inquired, "Why did Mr. Fan suddenly inspect the set today? Even with a few billion in investment and potential returns, it doesn’t warrant these frequent visits."

Of course, the driver never voiced the latter part.

"I'm not sure. Mr. Fan just mentioned this afternoon that he wanted to come," Assistant Liu adjusted his glasses. "We shouldn't speculate about Mr. Fan's affairs. Let’s just focus on our jobs."

……

Author's note: Vanilla Mud

Vanilla Earth

No need for explanations, right? Those who know, know.