Chapter 31: Face-to-Face Meeting

Chapter 31: Face-to-Face Meeting

Chen Moubai managed to gloss over the matter with a few jests, his laughter serving as a veil to sidestep the issue.

Zhou Jing never imagined that years after graduating from university, he would find himself struggling with a course once again.

Contrary to what he had anticipated, his study partner's choice of classes was highly practical.

There was only one chair in the room, not enough for both of them, so they ended up sitting on the bed together. A notebook sprawled across Zhou Jing's lap, initially he wondered about its purpose, unsure what there was to jot down. Yet, without any prompting, he began to scribble notes diligently and spontaneously.

He even recognized phrases that a director had used while explaining scenes. At the time, they seemed abstract to him, but it dawned on him that his limited knowledge was the root cause of his inability to grasp the techniques the director was trying to impart.

Chen Bai, twirling a pen around his fingers out of habit, said, "Tomorrow, you can pay close attention when Sister Lin is filming; she employs many of these techniques."

"Sister Lin" was their casual term for the lead actress, who was a trained professional in her field.

Zhou Jing agreed.

The class lasted for over two hours, filled with content and devoid of any idle moments. The duo studied until precisely two o'clock in the morning before calling it a night, having devoted themselves fully to their learning endeavor.

At two in the morning, utterly exhausted from studying, Zhou Jing had no spare brain cells to think about anything else. After several days, he once again fell into bed and slept just as he used to.

The next day, when the production team returned to work, they found that their already listless male lead looked even more drained and lifeless.

Pink-haired, who woke up with low blood pressure and little energy, took a brief nap while having her hair done. After waking up and finishing breakfast, she was bouncing around again, forming a stark contrast to the lethargy of her co-star.

Just before going on set, when there happened to be no one around, Zhou Jing couldn't help but ask, "You go to sleep at two, how can you still be so energetic?"

Pink-haired countered, "Isn't two considered early to bed?"

Zhou Jing: "...?"

The big star was momentarily at a loss for words.

He felt as though there was a vast chasm between their perceptions.

Similarly listless was the agent. During a break, she almost floated over to hand him a bottle of water and a few resumes, then sat down beside him, eyes vacant, saying, "Once I find an assistant for you, I'm going to sleep for three straight days."

Chen Moubai took the resumes and gave them a quick glance, offering his mental support for his agent's ambitious plan.

The agent had been looking for an assistant since the start of the production. Zhou Jing didn't have any particular requirements, but his money-making partner felt uneasy about the situation, as no assistant was finalized yet. The other party wasn't willing to hastily arrange an executive agent, thus, the agent had been busier than a bee in full flight these past few days.

The agent, who had been busier than a bee in full flight, received a phone call and barely had time to warm the bench before leaving again.

Today was another day where Director berated Zhou Jing.

A single night of study couldn't work miracles; he still had to bear the scolding.

Fortunately, today at least, he was complimented on his improved acting fluency, which made the progress slightly better than usual.

After the evening performance, Gray-haired punctually knocked on the door of his opposite neighbor.

This time, Pink-haired wasn't clad in his usual cost-effective, classic 39.9 skin-tight outfit, but rather an EV kindly gifted light-blue shirt.

Despite not being particularly meticulous with his attire, the shirt was somewhat wrinkled, yet still appealing, complementing his pink hair well.

With a towel perched atop his head, he casually dried his hair while ushering the visitor into his room.

There was no rehearsal tonight, just pure learning. One could simply plop down on the bed to get started.

It wasn't until the ten-minute break halfway through that Pink-haired took out his phone to chat with his top contact. It was then that Zhou Jing realized he hadn't touched his phone in a while.

Chen Bai had his daily routine chat with his good neighbor. Afterward, he casually checked his schedule for tomorrow, then turned to look at the gray-haired person beside him and said, "You'll have to go back to school on your own tomorrow. I've got something going on in the evening."

The hand holding the pen paused for a moment in Zhou Jing's grip, but he didn't ask any more questions. He simply replied with an "okay."

Chen Moubai was scheduled to stream tomorrow. The focus of tomorrow's shoot would mainly be on the interaction between the male and female leads, and his scenes would wrap up by daytime, leaving him with a considerable amount of time in the evening – perfect for streaming.

If he didn't go live soon, his streaming duration might become visibly perilous.

Or perhaps it's already quite perilous at this moment.

After an eternity of silence, much like a dormant zombie account, the long still profile finally stirred.

"Tomorrow evening at nine, let's indulge in a game for a modest stake of two cents. [Picture]"

It also comes with a whimsical emoji of a yellow bean holding a rose, adding a touch of charm to the context.

The fans, while hastily saving the images, expressed their disapproval, and amidst this condemnation, they eagerly awaited the arrival of the next evening.

The next evening, Qing Zhou started streaming two hours earlier than usual. Having played together consistently, his fans and Erbai's had essentially merged into one community. As nine o'clock approached, the tension in the livestream chat grew palpable, the anticipation thickening with each passing minute.

As the clock neared the fateful hour, instead of starting a new game, he lifted a hand off the keyboard and reached for his phone resting beside him. "Don't worry," he reassured them, "I'll ask for you."

A message sent, he received a prompt reply: just finished washing his hair, already powering up the computer.

He relayed the information truthfully.

Some took a full five minutes to boot their computers, their startup speed outmatched by 99% of the nation's users.

The broadcast started promptly at nine o'clock in the evening. The moment it began, a massive influx of users flooded in, accompanied by a continuous stream of gift notifications, causing the live stream to stutter momentarily before returning to normal.

It had been a while since the last broadcast, yet Chen Moubai still remembered to greet his audience as usual, saying, "Good evening, everyone."

The friends appeared to be incredibly excited.

"It's been so many days! Do you know how we've been living all this time?"

"Not well at all, sniffle, sniffle. How could you bear to stay offline for so long, Chen Erbai?"

"Hey, new look, Chen Erbai. You seem more handsome than I remember, have you?"

"I was such a fool, really thought Erbai started his Weibo to announce extra episodes every day. Turns out it's for notifying when he goes live... QAQ"

The "new look" referred to the light blue shirt.

Baffled how a piece of clothing could make someone appear more or less handsome, Chen Bai glanced down, then opened his mouth as if to speak.

"No need to introduce 39.9 again, Erbai (eyes open)."

"I see where you're going with this, but let me stop you there."

"Stylish neighbor and friend, please save this 39.9 brain from itself."

"..."

Pink-haired swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue once more, diligently diving into the game.

It had been a while since he last played, so his skills were a bit rusty, but it wasn't a big deal. After two rounds, he got back into the swing of things and started playing the beloved fishing mini-game that everyone enjoyed.

"Wah wah wah, I've never missed the bait minigame so much."

"Hahaha, that's the spirit."

"It's indeed more fun when the two of you play together."

Glancing at the chat and the screen intermittently, Chen Bai was also chatting with his buddy when he dodged a sneak attack. He heard his friend say, "I'm planning to visit City A soon."

He lifted his eyes slightly and asked, "When?"

The buddy mentioned that he'll be in the area for something tomorrow.

Since he's still streaming, he didn't specify what it was, but one could surmise that it likely pertains to work.

Indeed, it's been quite recent, perhaps even too recent. Pink-haired let out a sigh. "I'm working tomorrow, otherwise we could have met."

A chance for an offline meetup is unfortunately missed due to a shift at work.

"Erbai, you really have an endless supply of jobs to take on, I'm just heartbroken," she lamented.

"Don't say that! We have to see you two in the same frame at least once!"

"True, we haven't even seen Erbai solo on screen."

"Mention must be made of Sister Qing, the only one who's met Erbai."

"I've also quoted for a piano session, Erbai, look at me!"

During his scavenging, Chen Bai glanced at the comments and said, "Sorry, my work schedule is packed lately, not taking any more jobs for now."

The chat was filled with wails.

Having to rise early the next day, his gaming buddies logged off promptly at midnight, leaving Chen Bai to continue with their previous comrades until he went offline at two.

Just as forecasted, the next day dawned clear and bright after days of overcast skies and rain. Even before the sun had risen, the sky was already awash in daylight.

Such fine weather was perfect for outdoor shoots, so the planned outdoor filming proceeded as scheduled.

It being Saturday, and coinciding with a holiday, there were more visitors at the base than usual. Upon stepping out of the hotel, they were immediately met with phones thrust in their faces.

The leading lady and gentleman walked ahead, their assistant clearing the path, with Chen Moubai trailing closely behind, his eyes half-open as he sipped his soy milk, effortlessly boarding the vehicle.

The journey from the hotel to the filming location took merely minutes.

Upon arrival, the soy milk-sipping individual promptly located his third male lead companion.

Unlike his usual habit of high-speed internet surfing or script-reading, the companion was seated under the long corridor, his gaze fixated on a tranquil horse grazing nearby, which the production team had somehow procured, his expression somewhat tense.

Chen Erbai, concerned for his friend, sat down beside him, offering kind words of comfort, suddenly recalling that his companion had a horse-riding scene scheduled for today.

Though known for his playboy antics, Erbai was well-versed in the necessary skills, including archery and horseback riding.

He remembered that his companion wasn't adept at archery but should have some experience with horseback riding.

The third male lead covered his face, "What I know is how to mount and dismount a horse, and it's been years since I last did so."

His mistake lay in responding affirmatively to the director's inquiry about his horse-riding abilities, stating he knew the basics.

Now, the director expected him to ride the horse for a short distance.

Chen Bai chuckled, "In that case, Zhou Jing and I should be the ones worried."

The scene being filmed depicted a playboy riding a horse recklessly through the streets, almost colliding with the protagonist and his friend A, who happened to be him. If he hadn't been able to stop in time, he and Zhou Jing would have been in the most peril.

Reckless riding demanded a level of skill that was indeed quite high; this part wasn't handled by the young companion but rather by someone responsible for the final dramatic halt of the horse.

Fortunately, the production coordinator didn't intend to start the day with such an adrenaline-pumping scene. The scene was scheduled for the afternoon, allowing the young companion the entire morning to practice horseback riding in less crowded areas, only leaving when the equestrian instructor arrived.

The first scene was between the male and female leads, so Chen Moubai, not having anything to do, didn't squat around as usual to observe. Before the equestrian instructor came, he spent some time watching the horses and, with permission, even stroked them twice.

The assistant director was filming the lead actors, while the director, on the sidelines, engaged in back-and-forth debate with the on-set screenwriter over script revisions, trading barbs and sharp words.

In the end, the on-set screenwriter pointed at his thinning hair, questioning the director's conscience.

The director tactically took a sip of tea, diverting attention, and caught sight of the person standing beside the horse.

Si Yang, at least being a prince, had more than one outfit. He had already changed out of his previous dark blue robe into a long robe with a white base and red trim, wide sleeves and narrow cuffs. Over his clothes was a golden-woven crane cape. With his white robes and majestic steed, he presented a strikingly handsome sight.

Having a photography assistant snap a photo of the scene, the director temporarily avoided facing the on-set screenwriter with thinning hair and went over to chat with Si Yang instead.

There's a hint of evading the on-set editor's sparse crown, but it's not obvious.

In any case, he shifted his position and stood by the side of a man dressed in white, stealing a few more glances at the hand caressing the horse's head before asking, "Do you know how to ride?"

Chen Bai turned his head and said yes.

The director's eyes brightened, his mind clearly beginning to scheme something as he asked again, "Can you take a couple of laps around the track on the horse?"

"If I can, I will."

Chen Bai's gaze, piercing through the director's hat, met the on-set editor's intense stare from afar, objectively stating, "If there's a script change in mind, the screenwriter is looking this way, and seems like she wants to stab someone."

He didn't think the screenwriter wanted to stab him, but rather the director who kept changing the script every day.

The director jolted, then lowered his voice, saying, "Don't worry, we're old friends. You just focus on your part, and I'll figure out a solution."

Erbai felt that the director's lowering of his voice didn't quite match his claim of fearlessness, but he tactfully refrained from pointing it out.

The director continued, "After we finish shooting the horse-riding scene this afternoon, I'll need to take up a bit of your rest time. At that point, we'll have you mount the horse to test the effect."

Facing the screenwriter's unwavering gaze fixed on the director's back, Chen Bai simply replied, "Alright."

---

Li Qingzhou came to City A for the signing of a business contract. He arrived at the company in the morning and finished signing by noon.

He had originally planned to leave right after the signing, but his sister had accompanied him on this trip.

Sister Li didn't wait for him to sign the contract all morning for nothing; it wasn't just a casual outing to a new city with her beloved brother.

Sister Li, a devoted fan of Zhou Jing for six years, had long been aware that he was shooting a film in the outskirts of City A at the Film and Television City. She'd been contemplating a visit and today, she finally seized the opportunity.

Equipped with a backpack, a water flask, and an umbrella, the journey was arduously long. If she were to carry everything herself, she would likely be completely exhausted by the time she reached her destination.

It was then that the benefits of having a good younger brother came into play.

In exchange for not assisting her in delivering flowers for three days, she secured her personal porter.

The city roads were maddeningly congested, so they opted to take the subway and switch to a bus. After leaving the traffic-ridden urban area, they hailed a taxi to reach the Film and Television City.

Having stood for half the day, Sister Li finally got to sit down. As soon as she boarded the vehicle, she pulled out her phone to stay updated with the latest news, ensuring they wouldn't make a wasted trip.

Fortunately, the latest update confirmed that the production team hadn't left and was still filming on location, with both the leading man and woman present.

Glancing at the new information for a moment longer, she turned to the person sitting next to her and said, "The Chen Bai you like seems to be there today as well."

She then added, "He's still there, as of now."

Li Qingzhou subtly shifted his gaze.

By the time they arrived, the afternoon was well underway, the sunlight less intense, and the sky somewhat dimmer.

The "Inquiry of Fate" film crew was easy to locate, shooting at a well-known scenic spot bustling with people. Some were walking away after watching, while others were still making their way through the crowd, and the area was teeming with onlookers.

Sister Li, disadvantaged by her height, could only see the overlapping heads of the crowd when standing still, needing to jump to catch a glimpse of what was happening inside.

It seemed that no filming was currently taking place, as those in the crowd were chatting quietly amongst themselves. The individuals carrying cameras within also appeared to be engaged in some sort of negotiation.

Li Qingzhou, blessed with height, could easily peer over the crowd to see inside.

Spotting a man leading a horse past, Li Qingzhou noticed someone sitting on a stone pillar by the veranda bridge, still shaken and nervously wiping his face, clearly recovering from a fright. The stranger didn't seem familiar, certainly not the celebrity his sister adored.

After hastily wiping the sweat off his face and neck, the rattled man rose from the stone pillar and stepped onto the veranda bridge, lifting his hand to exchange a few words with someone out of sight.

It was then that Li Qingzhou realized there was another person lurking behind the bridge's red and black pillars.

Responding to the greeting, the hidden individual leaned forward slightly, emerging from behind the pillar to reveal their face.

Upon the broad robe of white base embroidered with red cloud patterns, was a face clearly marked with laughter.

The man laughed heartily, finding great amusement in something that had occurred, his wide robes doing nothing to contain his backward-leaning guffaws.

Chen Moubai was laughing at his young companion.

The scene they had just shot was the horse-riding sequence that his friend had fretted over all day. Objectively speaking, it was well executed—a single take success. The images captured by the cinematographer's lens were entirely ordinary, perfectly meeting expectations.

Yet, only the scenes within the camera remained normal.

In reality, as the horse's hooves kicked up dust and it charged toward him and Zhou Jing, even at a distance, he could see the visible panic on his buddy's face, his features twisted in fear.

Chen Erbai was a man of high moral standing; he could hold back his laughter when other actors stumbled, but when it came to his buddy, he laughed without restraint, completely unbridled.

After all, his buddy had laughed just as wildly when he accidentally played Go like Gomoku during filming before.

The third male lead had anticipated that Erbai would laugh like this. He covered his face in resignation, pretending not to see.

Thankfully, the production team had banned the crowd from taking photos. Thankfully, the only person he faced at that moment was Zhou Jing and the one beside him who couldn't stop laughing.

Had either of these conditions been absent, he'd be building a castle out of his toes by midnight tonight, out of sheer embarrassment.

Fortunately, the person beside him didn't laugh for long. Halfway through, he was hauled away by the director.

The horse was borrowed, and once used, it needed to be returned promptly. As long as they cleared the crowd a bit, the other half of the street, which wasn't cluttered with objects, was long and wide enough for a gallop. The director acted swiftly, instructing the security guards to move the crowd back a considerable distance on one side.

Taking the reins from the equestrian instructor, Chen Moubai gently stroked the horse's cheek while stealing a few extra glances at the instructor, who looked extravagantly dressed. With great self-restraint and a firm grasp on his own ethics, he resisted the urge to ask the instructor about his salary.

Before mounting the horse, the instructor asked him, "Can you handle it?"

This question held no other meaning; it was merely a habitual inquiry out of safety concerns.

"It's doable," Chen Bai said as he finished stroking the horse's neck after touching his own cheek, "but I haven't practiced in years, so I might not be that proficient."

He could certainly handle riding without any issues, ensuring that he wouldn't lose control and run into someone. However, his movements likely wouldn't be as smooth, and the spectacle the director desired might not be met.

Upon hearing some key phrases from a distance and realizing that this person was also going to attempt horseback riding, the third male lead's friend, who had been resting on the long corridor, put away his phone and script. He squatted down to watch the show, ready to mercilessly mock him should he make a mistake.

Receiving an affirmative response, the equestrian instructor released the reins, taking two steps back to clear the space.

The person holding the reins casually brushed aside the stray hair falling over his forehead, lifting the layers of his robe. With one hand supporting the saddle and stepping into the stirrup for leverage, he effortlessly swung himself onto the horse.

Layers of clothing sliced through the air with a fierce sound, blurring the vision of those squatting on the ground. Before they could even register what was happening, the rider was already seated firmly on the saddle, one hand gripping the reins, his back straight as a young pine tree.

"..."

Even before the horse started running, the third male lead's friend, still squatting on the ground, sensed something amiss, falling silent.

He had a nagging feeling that he had somehow been deceived.

The sound of hooves striking the ground echoed, accelerating gradually. The horse's originally drooping brown mane swept through the air as the rider's white robes billowed, his long black hair flowing backwards with the wind, intertwining with the robes in a stark contrast of colors.

This speed was truly a bit too swift, causing gasps from the onlookers gathered around. Even from their safe vantage points, hearts skipped a beat, and they instinctively stepped back without needing the security personnel to shout warnings through megaphones this time.

Yet, someone didn't retreat. A circle cleared around them, making the figure standing at its center conspicuously stand out.

The horse reached the end of the street, its accelerated pace reined in. It circled around and was guided back, hooves lifting high before landing smoothly once again.

Gripping the reins, Chen Bai had been staring straight ahead. Later, as if sensing something, he turned his head to one side, catching sight of a relatively young individual standing alone amidst the cleared space around him.

The other party was looking straight at him, their gaze not faltering for a moment before locking onto his.

Objectively speaking, he was quite handsome, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a high nose bridge, and dressed in neat, refreshing attire.

It was as if they had met somewhere before.

Fragments of blurred images that once appeared on his phone screen kept flashing through his mind. Eventually, the memories settled on a distant scene: a person clad in an apron from a flower shop by the beach.

He remembered. The rider pulled on the reins, lowering their light gray irises to reflect the figure of the person standing below, and exclaimed, "You're the one who delivered the flowers last time!"

The hooves of the horse kicked up dust nearby, and his white robes covered his eyes for an instant; Li Qingzhou stood rooted to the spot, his pupils slightly dilated.

Just as he had turned around halfway last time, this person once again looked back just before leaving.

Unexpectedly, the other party even remembered him.

Watching the hooves continuously trample the ground, he nodded slightly, responding affirmatively.

His throat felt somewhat parched, and only after speaking did he realize that his voice sounded different from usual.

The person on the horse must have taken him for a tourist visiting the area, waved a hand, and with a smile said, "Have fun."

After saying that, he rode off on his horse, the wind stirred by his departure ruffling people's hair.

The crowd that had dispersed earlier returned, and the surroundings instantly became noisy. Amidst the continuous sounds, Li Qingzhou faintly heard someone say that if they had known, they wouldn't have stepped back; perhaps they could have struck up a conversation.

But there is no such thing as hindsight in this world. By the time they reassembled, the person had already returned to their original position, dismounting their horse with alacrity.

His movements showed no hesitation or sluggishness, skilled and professional, not at all resembling someone who hadn't ridden a horse in years.

The equestrian instructor took back the reins and asked, "Have you practiced before?"

The man who dismounted smiled slightly and replied, "I worked at a stable before."

Squatting for what felt like an eternity, Male No.3's eyes slowly lost their spark, transitioning from excitement to dullness. He glanced at the smiling man beside him but didn't continue on the previous topic. Instead, he inquired, "Who were you greeting just now?"

"It was probably a tourist," Chen Bai said, "We crossed paths once before, met briefly."

He then absentmindedly ruffled his hair and added, "I think I've seen her somewhere else too."

Author's Note:

A diode's mind is truly remarkable.