Chapter 29: Don’t Go

Chapter 29: Don't Go

The forgetful individual promptly registered an account on the spot, under the guidance of a reliable comrade, and proceeded to bind it to his profile.

With the binding complete, Chen Bai casually followed his dependable comrade.

His comrade reciprocated the follow, becoming his first fan in the process.

His follower count continued to climb steadily, but he paid it little mind, setting his phone aside to resume his live stream.

Tonight's broadcast lasted until the wee hours of the morning, at which point he signed off right on schedule.

Turning off his computer, the man sitting in the chair leaned back, indulging in a brief flurry of punches and kicks before settling back into position. He then picked up his phone to send a string of nonsensical banter to his good neighbor, before putting it down and reaching for the script nearby.

What was once a pristine script had now doubled in thickness from frequent use.

At two in the morning, the room's light was switched off on cue.

For once not burning the midnight oil, Pink-haired woke up the next day brimming with energy.

Before the script reading session in the evening, he finally learned under his agent's scrutinizing gaze, which was difficult to interpret, that the gray-haired man he had met the day before was the leading man of this production. His name was Zhou Jing, and he was also the cover star of the magazine Chen Bai had been featured in previously. Objectively speaking, he was very popular.

No wonder he felt like he recognized him.

It was hard for the agent to fathom how this person could know Xu Sinian, who had no overlap with him, while being unaware of others who were in the same magazine.

During the script reading, the social prodigy successfully acquainted himself with all the main cast members.

The leading man and woman, both already established artists, had other work commitments after the script reading and before the official start of filming. They left that night.

As they departed, Chen Bai remained at the hotel. The few days ahead would be enough for him to make up for some of the live streaming hours he needed.

While he was frantically catching up on his live streaming hours, discussions about "Inquiry of Fate" were exploding online.

From the selection process to finalizing the roles, the "Inquiry of Fate" production team hadn't disclosed any information about the main cast, leaving everyone guessing wildly on the internet. They kept everything tightly under wraps.

Speculation ran rampant until a few days ago when someone spotted a well-known young actress and one of the top stars, Zhou Jing, at the film studio. Despite criticisms of Zhou Jing's acting skills, given their statuses, it seemed certain they were the leading couple.

Some even encountered second and third-tier actors with growing reputations at the scene, but after tallying up the numbers, it seemed there weren't enough people to match the number of main characters announced by the crew. This sparked another round of wild guessing, with almost every named actor who happened to be available being thrown into the mix.

It wasn't until the netizens' guesses turned wild that the production team released their costume photos the night before filming began.

As expected, the leading lady and Zhou Jing were indeed the young actress and actor who had been previously spotted. The other cast members were similarly well-chosen. And as always, the director's taste and financial backing proved to be reliable—the costumes and styling of the lead actors were meticulously crafted and exquisite. While their acting skills remained to be seen, at least their appearances were stunning at first glance.

The only surprise was the choice for the second male lead.

He was someone who had never appeared in any previous production posters or promotional photos—in other words, a complete newcomer.

In the photo, the man sat by the window, his dark blue robe sweeping the ground. His brows resembled distant mountains, gently lowered as he held a chess piece in one hand. The light from outside shone through the window, casting a glow on his pale fingertips, the black chess piece reflecting the brightness.

Beside it, in bold brushstrokes of ink, were the characters "Si Yang."

If there was one word to describe it, it would be stunning.

Initially, netizens didn't recognize who it was. Following the official crew's tag, they discovered that the actor playing Si Yang was none other than the EV special guest rookie sensation who had recently taken the industry by storm with a set of photos.

Aside from the identical face, it was difficult for the netizens to associate these two personas, given their vastly different aura and image.

"It's actually him! The contrast is so stark, I almost didn't recognize him!"

"If Si Yang looked like this, I'd have no choice but to fall for him!! [Rose.jpg]"

"Daring to cast a newcomer as the second male lead, that's so Zhang Zhi, money talks indeed."

"I'm all in for both the sunny urban boy and the classically handsome dude! I'm devouring it all! I eat, eat, eat!"

"True, he's good-looking, but can he act? There's also Zhou Jing to consider."

The tone of the comment section was originally normal, until a netizen who had initially posted photos of the actors arriving at the filming hotel rushed to the front lines.

He repeatedly confirmed his disbelief, banging his head incoherently; the impact of his emotions could be felt even through the screen:

"It's actually him!!! I even talked to him that day! He was there for filming! He even initiated a conversation with me!"

For any normal person, it would be hard to imagine an actor squatting outside a hotel together and engaging in a ten-minute chat with such gusto.

It finally dawned on Big Brother why he had found the face familiar that day.

That face was somewhat recognizable to anyone who had been online before. But his memory points were all on the pink hair, so much so that when most of the pink hair was covered by a cap that day, his brain momentarily short-circuited, failing to make the connection.

The person squatted beside him and chattered for nearly ten minutes straight, yet he stubbornly failed to recognize them.

After racking his brains, it turned out the person was right by his side, even extending a friendly hand of consolation later on.

"Bro, you... Hahaha"

"Hahaha, I can't imagine how Handsome would look squatting at the gate with all of you."

"Two dragons facing off, their powers equally matched (nodding)."

"Hahaha, turns out Chen Bai really can chatter. A friend of his once told me he's quite the talker, but I didn't believe them."

"Met him! Where did we meet?"

...

After participating in the rehearsal for the ceremony that afternoon, Chen Moubai seized every available moment to go live that evening. Midway through, he received a message from his money-making partner.

His money-making partner had already forwarded the crew's Weibo post to him, suggesting that he should follow the crew's account for updates.

He took the time to check his notifications, then put down his phone and spoke to his live stream viewers and friends: "I'll be busy over the next few days and won't be able to stream. I'll give you all advance notice before my next broadcast."

The filming schedule for the following days had been released, and as expected, it was filled with night shoots that would typically end around midnight.

Getting off work at midnight, changing clothes, and taking a shower would already take him past one o'clock in the morning, leaving no time for streaming.

The upcoming shooting schedule was still being arranged, but according to the production coordinator, it should be slightly better than the current few days, at least not ending their shifts at midnight.

He spoke in his usual tone, and the viewers in the live stream listened as they always did. It wasn't until after he spoke that they realized something was amiss and emitted sounds of distress.

Unable to have the best of both worlds, Chen Moubai also felt the pain.

Fortunately, his patron god of wealth, Huo Yuanfei, was abroad handling major projects and only occasionally communicated via WeChat, leaving no time to seek him out.

If he were to endure the pain of rejecting a large order worth 120,000 yuan due to this job, he estimated that he would suffer even more, sighing in regret during the wee hours of the night.

As usual, he signed off from his stream late into the night. Chen Moubai, who had never worried about his streaming duration, specifically checked the stream length and his monthly goal before turning off the streaming software.

He had recently signed a new contract with the platform, reducing his monthly streaming hours from 150 to 100. However, this month's quota was still based on the old contract, requiring him to meet the 150-hour target.

With one-third of the month gone, he had already clocked in ninety hours of streaming. Under normal circumstances, he would exceed his quota by the end.

However, once filming commenced, everything became uncertain. Even his designated half-day off each week was spent working part-time at a restaurant.

"..."

From afar, it seemed like he was delivering an invisible flurry of punches and kicks. Pink-haired lifted the notebook beside his script high into the air, only to gently place it back down afterward. He switched his computer screen from the live streaming software to a web video, spinning his pen while attending online classes.

The next day marked the filming commencement ceremony. The entire crew was present, with some media invited as well, making for a lively scene.

Some people, despite being talkative, preferred not to be the center of attention. They spoke when it was their turn and, during downtime, quietly indulged in the complimentary sweets and tea laid out on the table.

On one side was Zhou Jing, the leading male character, and on the other, the third male lead playing a spoiled young master. Zhou Jing appeared busy throughout the event, so he refrained from disturbing him. Instead, he turned to the third male lead to recommend the milk candy he had just tasted and found delicious.

Having been in the industry for only a few years, the third male lead wasn't exactly a seasoned veteran. This was his first time landing a leading role, and he was initially quite nervous. However, seeing his co-star casually eating and drinking, casually offering him a piece of candy, and secretly giving him a thumbs up under the table, helped ease his nerves.

"..."

He accepted the candy.

Thus, one person's snacking and sipping transformed into a duet of munching and sipping for two.

The duo ate in serene and restrained silence, not disturbing others around them nor attracting any attention. By the time those nearby glanced over again, they noticed that the mountain of sweets before the two had visibly diminished.

Post-snacking came the highly anticipated red envelope ritual.

The previously tranquil figure, absorbed in nibbling sweets and sipping tea, now visibly perked up, his eyes brightening with renewed energy.

With the red envelope in hand, he snapped a photo to share with his good neighbor. Come afternoon, it was showtime. Some were so brimming with vigor that they seemed far from having hit the hay at the wee hours of two AM.

Equally energetic was the director's tongue.

Having never experienced this before, Chen Bai got an eyeful today, finally understanding why someone nearly broke down in tears on audition day.

He, for now, remained unscathed by the verbal barrage, which was mostly directed at Zhou Jing and the second female lead.

Witnessing such refined yet piercing reprimands was a novelty for him, and he took the opportunity to observe and learn from a safe distance, out of harm's way.

The leading lady appeared to be observing as well, albeit discreetly due to propriety, stealing glances every now and then.

The intensity of work for the lead and minor roles was worlds apart. Aside from learning to curse like a director out of sheer interest, Chen Moubai had many other things to learn. He barely touched his phone all day long. It wasn't until he returned to the hotel after wrapping up his scenes and took a shower that he finally pulled it out to take a look.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few messages. There were messages from Huo's mother and the Goddess of Fortune sister, who occasionally kept in touch. After he shared a red envelope, his good neighbor sent him a message.

A simple congratulatory message and a red envelope.

The amount in the red envelope wasn't large, just within his acceptable range.

Today's red envelope +1. He lowered his head to type, thanking Boss Xu for sending the red envelope and sending an emoji pack stolen from somewhere else yesterday.

After ensuring the emoji pack was sent, he exited the interface to read the messages from the Goddess of Fortune sister and Huo's mother.

The Goddess of Fortune sister also wished him luck on the first day of filming. Huo's mother, unexpectedly direct, sent a voice message praising how handsome he looked in his stills and mentioned that many flowers in the courtyard had withered recently.

Huo's mother usually didn't have many people to talk to in the manor, and it became even quieter after Huo Qing went off to school. Since their last phone call in the hospital, she had developed a netizen relationship with him. He lowered his head to type, then deleted the words halfway through, opting to send a voice message instead.

Such late-night working days continued for nearly a week. After this period, they would face a lengthy rainy season. To catch up with the outdoor scene progress, every day's time was utilized to the fullest extent.

Late nights and early mornings, the Pink-haired one, who always slept past 2 AM, could easily adapt and remained lively every day. The eyes of the other actors grew increasingly lifeless day by day, especially the staff from the makeup, props, and set groups. Sometimes, they needed to start as early as 4 AM, looking as if they were just one more night away from collapsing where they stood.

The good news was that the shooting progressed smoothly under the overcast sky, and the days of all-nighters had come to an end. The entire production team was filled with a sense of liberation.

On this rare evening without any scenes to shoot, with only two more scenes left to be filmed, the day's tasks were effectively over. Chen Bai and his fellow male supporting actor found themselves in a break period, sitting side by side on stools.

His companion, always at the forefront of surfing the latest waves, seized the opportunity to lower his head and scan through recent news updates. However, Chen Bai didn't touch his phone; instead, he watched as the lead actors rehearsed their lines.

"Chen Yibai, take a look."

Just then, his companion nudged him with his elbow. "Huochuan... I reckon you might not know about him, but anyway, he's someone incredibly wealthy, and it seems like something's going on."

Ever considerate, knowing that Pink-haired usually didn't pay attention to such information, he even summarized the key points for him, providing a brief introduction.

Hearing the familiar name, Chen Moubai raised his eyebrows slightly, turning his head toward his companion. "Let's see."

His companion placed the phone in the middle so he could see it more clearly.

On the screen was a notification, which from the title alone appeared to be from a typical clickbait account, yet the content seemed relatively normal. What was crucial was the accompanying image.

The person in the picture was undoubtedly the God of Wealth, Huochuan. The man was leaning over, holding the car door open, extending his hand to someone sitting inside the vehicle.

The photographer was quite skilled, managing to send the photos back home from overseas with resilience.

Chen Bai: "Whoa."

He thought the God of Wealth went abroad to mint more gold coins, but he didn't expect that the other party still had the overseas rendezvous with his first love on his mind.

What a pity that such a fine God of Wealth is ruled by his heart in matters of love.

The kicker is that the person he likes doesn't return his feelings; he'd be better off making more gold coins.

He tactfully remarked, "It might just be unrequited love."

"Hmm," the pal didn't seem to buy it, and said, "Given his situation, I doubt many would turn him down."

Chen Bai felt the same way.

After sharing the gossip, the pal pocketed his phone and added, "Yours seems to be vibrating."

Chen Bai then glanced down at his own phone, which was on the side.

It was a phone call, the screen lighting up to display "God of Fortune" as the caller.

Speak of the devil and he doth appear.

He rose to answer the call.

Accustomed to his flowing robes, he moved gracefully, seeking out a quiet spot to take the call.

The sky was turning dusk, and he stood by a sparse gingko tree on the outskirts of the set, gazing at the heavens as he answered the call.

The person on the other end was as direct as ever, asking, "Are you free tonight?"

Tonight's sunset was unusually vivid, a fiery red that promised rain later in the evening. Chen Bai turned his gaze away, truthfully replying, "I'm free after eight."

Huochuan said he wanted to meet.

"Hmm?" Chen Bai responded.

If his memory served him right, this person should still be overseas.

Though he aimed for 120,000, Chen Bai had no immediate plans to tap into the overseas market.

As if sensing his confusion, the person on the other end said, "The red-eye flight; I'm already back in the country."

Chen Bai acknowledged with an affirmative, then, displaying his professionalism, inquired about the time and location.

A meet-up at nine in the evening in the city center.

There was no way he could make it by switching between buses and the subway. A taxi ride should do the trick. He stated matter-of-factly, "Remember to cover the cab fare both ways."

There was a moment of silence on the other end before they said, "Alright."

The brief call ended, and Chen Bai put his phone away, returning to his companion's side once more.

His companion asked him, "Do you have plans for tonight?"

He smiled slightly. "I'm going to meet the God of Wealth."

In the last two scenes without any retakes, Chen Moubai wrapped up his part and left as soon as he could.

For the sake of his speechless agent's mental health and to avoid appearing in the headlines alongside his Goddess of Fortune, he splurged on a high-quality mask.

Medical masks are available everywhere, convenient and quick to use.

With some time before their scheduled meeting, remembering Mrs. Huo's recent lament about the lack of flowers to admire, he bought a bouquet of sunflowers from a nearby florist upon leaving. It was both a gesture of comfort for his online friend and an after-sales service for the Goddess of Fortune, who had placed her order with him.

The Goddess of Fortune, with her deep pockets and generous offers, could easily afford several more bouquets.

In this area near the film city, many buy flowers for photos or gifts, leading to a high demand for fresh blooms.

Clutching the flowers, he hailed a cab, and Pink-haired slightly lowered his cap as he got in.

Traveling from the dimly lit outskirts to the bustling urban area filled with skyscrapers, as they neared their destination, the passenger in the backseat put away his phone.

Stepping out of the car, he immediately felt the wind that was coursing through the streets.

It seemed like it was going to rain soon.

Holding onto his hat, he entered the shop mentioned by the Goddess of Fortune. No identity verification process was necessary; simply mentioning the Goddess of Fortune's name led someone from the shop to escort him directly to a private room on the second floor.

The God of Wealth was already inside, drinking. The corridor of the establishment was filled with a faint fragrance, but upon entering the room, the scent was overtaken by the aroma of alcohol.

Closing the door behind him with a deft motion, Chen Bai removed his mask and tucked it into his pocket, along with his hat.

The room was dimly lit, and the figure lounging on the sofa lifted his eyes slightly to meet his gaze, saying, "You've arrived."

His voice was hoarse, and he appeared weary.

Chen Bai acknowledged him with a simple response.

It was understandable that anyone would be tired after returning from abroad and still adjusting to the time difference. Given this state, it seemed likely that things hadn't gone well between this person and Bai Yueguang.

Sitting at a distance neither too close nor too far away, he placed the flowers he had been carrying on the table. The man who had been half-reclining sat up and reached for a glass of wine on the table, inviting, "Have a drink."

As the man moved from the shadows into the light, the ridge of his eyebrows and the bridge of his nose were cast in shadow, his gaze unerringly meeting Chen Bai's.

Chen Bai remained still, declining the offer: "I can't drink."

He had work tomorrow, and if this body mirrored his true physical condition, it was likely that he could only handle one drink before succumbing to its effects, essentially rendering him unable to touch alcohol.

He refused as if it were his right, and Huochuan paused, then smiled slightly, saying, "You do bear a striking resemblance to him."

He retracted the wine glass he had offered and drank it himself.

Chen Bai kindly warned, "Drinking while adjusting to the time difference will make you feel terrible later."

The man beside him unbuttoned his shirt cuff, rolled up his sleeve halfway, and reclined back, saying, "I won't be able to drink much anyway."

He was the one who said this. Having fulfilled his duty of warning him, Chen Bai didn't say more, instead pouring himself a cup of warm water.

Having soaked in this room for so long, even the water seems to have a tinge of alcohol.

The half-reclining figures, glass after glass, engage in intermittent chatter, with fleeting mentions of Bai Yueguang.

A master conversationalist can keep any dialogue flowing, leaning against the couch, Pink-haired holds her water glass, listening and occasionally responding. Upon hearing about Bai Yueguang, she perks up, even contemplating ordering a fruit platter.

But the God of Fortune only brushes past this topic with a few lines.

Silence envelops the room as rain begins to fall outside.

The pitter-patter of rain against the windowpane filled the air, droplets sliding down relentlessly.

Leaning half-propped against the couch, Huochuan listened to the incessant patter of rain, his gaze hazy. In the dimly lit room, he could only vaguely make out the radiant sunflower bouquet, partially illuminated by the faint light.

As the alcohol coursed through his veins, spreading throughout his body, he turned his head towards the person sitting beside him.

Caught off guard by his sudden glance, the person who was lounging comfortably on the couch paused with their water cup in hand, lowering their eyes to meet his. A faint smile played in their eyes as they asked, "Feeling sleepy?"

Without making any effort to sit up or move, Huochuan's half-opened eyes closed.

"..."

Jet lag, coupled with minimal rest and a generous amount of alcohol, had finally taken its toll—the God of Wealth was asleep.

The empty wine glass tipped over on the couch. Chen Bai leaned forward, retrieving the glass and placing it on the table, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

At last, the God of Wealth was asleep, signaling an earlier end to work than anticipated.

Aware that the owner of this establishment was a close friend of the God of Wealth, Pink-haired set down his water cup, donned his cap, and rose to approach the front desk. He requested the receptionist to contact the owner, succinctly explaining the situation—that the God of Wealth had imbibed enough to fall asleep and would require assistance to be transported home.

At the very least, being a god of fortune with assets counted in billions, it was unrealistic to simply hire a driver for transportation; he could only rely on a trusted friend.

On the other end of the line, the noise was deafening, as if they were still out partying somewhere. After agreeing to come, the call disconnected.

All that remained was to wait for his friend to arrive.

Returning to the room and settling back onto the sofa, Pink-haired removed his hat and glanced at the time.

It was still early. His friend was quite far from here, and with the rain, it would probably take about an hour for him to get here.

With nothing else to do and the environment being incredibly conducive to sleep, instead of choosing to read through scripts or books, he opted to put on his headphones and invite his good neighbor, who happened to be off today, to play an exhilarating game of Ludo.

His good neighbor accepted his invitation, once again becoming his steadfast companion.

Today, his luck was as bad as ever, seemingly married to the number 1, with Xiao Huang hot on his heels.

"I'll move quickly… no, Comrade Little Xu, you're about to step on my plane, on my only plane that's taken off!"

Playing a game of Ludo as if it were the grand finals of an e-sports tournament, Chen Bai found himself sitting up straighter, saying, "Don't move yet, let me go first."

"Well..."

"—Don't go."

In the midst of her anxiety, a hoarse voice suddenly came from beside her. Pink-haired turned her head to see that God of Fortune, who had been lying next to her, had somehow managed to turn over at some point.

Though he was speaking, his eyes weren't fully open.

Clearly, he had mistaken her for Baiyueguang due to his inebriation, or perhaps he was babbling in his sleep, his mind clouded by love. Amidst her flurry of thoughts, she casually reassured him, "I won't leave."

After dispensing with the formalities, he dove back into the intense battle of Aeroplane Chess, only to find that it was his dear comrade's turn to roll the dice.

"... "

The countdown ticked away second by second, yet there was not a stir from his comrade in arms.

Even the telephone, which had previously been emitting sound, fell silent.

Author's Note:

Comrade Little Xu: ...