Chapter 41: I Have a Friend

Chapter 41: I Have a Friend

The delinquent held the basketball in his hand as several students from Class Two instantly formed a human wall on the opposite side, blocking the path.

Glancing left and right, Chen Bai passed the ball to the side, and the human wall swiftly shifted, obstructing the path of his potential receiver.

—But that wasn't always the case; some never intended to pass the ball at all.

Transferring the ball from his right hand to his left, the delinquent took advantage of a gap that appeared before him, breaking through the human wall's defense to face the studious partner who was guarding from behind.

As if not expecting the ball to remain in his hands, the studious partner was momentarily stunned.

In that brief moment of hesitation, he executed a backward step, turning while dribbling around the other defenders.

It wasn't until he drew closer to the basket that the others realized his intention wasn't merely to pass but to score.

By the time they understood, it was too late. They attempted to rush back for defense, but their classmates from Class One timely blocked their retreat.

The person wearing a wrist guard jumped up close to the studious partner and dunked the ball, sending it through the hoop.

Clothing flapped, and the sound of air being cut echoed.

Caught off guard, Zhou Jing only felt someone passing by, stirring a breeze. When he regained his senses and turned around, he saw the figure landing gracefully with the ball.

The person who landed casually wiped some sweat, his eyes gleaming as he flashed a smile, "Looks like you guys lost."

...It was hard to believe this came from someone who had claimed just moments ago that he wasn't very good at playing basketball.

There was a moment of silence on the court, followed by the Class One students quickly rallying around their goal-scoring extra member, showering him with praise.

The delinquent stood among the high school students, grinning, fitting in perfectly without any sense of discord.

Zhou Jing: "..."

Zhou Jing had already lost count of how many times he had rubbed his face today.

Amidst the excitement, the preparatory bell rang.

The group of high school students, having thoroughly enjoyed themselves, planned for another round.

The white-clad delinquent kindly reminded them, "I think it's time for class."

With a wave of his hand, one of the high school students indicated they could still linger, saying, "Next period is self-study, as long as the principal doesn't show up. Are you guys going to class?"

"We don't need to attend class."

Chen Bai glanced to the side and asked, "Is your principal balding?"

The high school student nodded, "A classic case of male pattern baldness."

Chen Moubai stated, "Well, he's already here."

The high school student: "..."

The high school student: "?"

The group of high school students turned to look, catching sight of a head that gleamed even under the overcast sky.

The balding man approached along the track, his gaze directly locking onto them. The eyes behind thick lenses were sharp, and any attempt to escape was now futile.

As they approached the Mediterranean, the troublemaker discreetly separated from the crowd with his partner, holding a ball aloof.

"…"

In no time, the school disciplinarian arrived, and the boys from both classes lined up, unable to escape, thus enduring a lecture on the spot.

Watching the disciplinarian finish his scolding, Chen Moubai seized the opportunity to greet him, casually grabbing the school jacket hanging nearby before bidding farewell and departing.

The disciplinarian glanced at their uniforms devoid of school emblems, realizing something, and reciprocated the greeting, stepping aside to let them leave.

"?"

High school students, eyes wide open in surprise, witnessed the duo's departure without any hindrance from the unexpectedly agreeable disciplinarian.

One of them, halfway through leaving, turned back to wave silently, bidding them farewell.

Instead of heading towards the main building, the two strolled toward the old teaching block along the sports field.

"…"

Daring to proceed in that direction at this hour, at this spot, under the disciplinarian's watchful eye.

A group of high schoolers silently observed the retreating figures, finally grasping the situation, eyes widening.

With suspicions forming, upon closer inspection, they noticed subtle differences between the uniforms of those two individuals and theirs, from shirts to trousers.

…Impressive!

After the disciplinarian concluded his speech, the crowd squeezed past each other, finally able to depart.

"I thought those two looked unusually good… Does anyone know them? I'm not into TV dramas."

"The only ones I know are from basketball matches; Zhang, didn't you follow celebrities?"

"I followed female stars! Let me ask my cla…"

The group chattered as they walked, but the disciplinarian, standing in place, rolled up his sleeves and yelled, "Still chatting? Hurry back to class!"

Thus, the students dared not continue speaking, hastily returning to their classrooms.

While they headed back to class, the other two reconvened beneath the old teaching block.

Indeed, the leading lady and the third male lead were still engaged in an acting showdown, according to the assistant, nearing double digits in NG counts, leaving the director in a state of forced smiles.

Choosing not to disturb them, Chen Moubai returned the prop basketball to its original spot in the classroom, informing the props team.

They both resettled onto their stools, Zhou Jing turning to his companion and asking, "Will we practice more later?"

Chen Erbai waved his hand, suggesting they cease practicing until the official filming began.

Zhou Jing nodded in agreement, finding it reasonable.

Though he had once inquired about how to shoot a basket, his actual performance was commendable, perfectly adequate for the shooting requirements.

Guessing his thoughts, Chen Bai straightened, waving his hand, "Not because of that."

He pointed to his waist, forcing a smile, "Ha-ha, seems like I pulled something in my back."

Indeed, one shouldn't overexert themselves, especially after prolonged sitting and extensive work.

"..."

Zhou Jing went to find the assistant for some pain relief patches.

Now both sides' agents and assistants were aware of his backache.

Fortunately, some people's backaches are only temporary, and he returned to normal before the scene.

They dispersed early that evening as students began their night study sessions.

Before getting on the car back to the hotel, the director beckoned Chen Bai over to talk privately, with Zhou Jing watching from the side.

Their conversation wasn't long; they squatted by the roadside and had a brief exchange before standing up, rejoining the main group.

When the director took a few steps to board the car in front, Zhou Jing turned to look at the person who had returned to his side and asked, "What did the director tell you?"

Chen Bai said, "He mentioned I need to prepare for a scene tomorrow."

He had been suppressing his emotions while acting, and it was evident to his partner and the director. The reason it hadn't been mentioned earlier was because from the final cut, it seemed acceptable, even commendable.

This time, it was brought up because there was a scene the next day where Xu Yifan is cornered by old friends in an alley near school.

This scene required an emotional outburst from Xu Yifan, and following the previous method of suppressing emotions, it wouldn't be easy to get through.

He turned and smiled, saying, "I'll think about it again when I get home. Let's not study together tonight."

Zhou Jing glanced at him and agreed.

Perhaps due to an inexplicable trust-like emotion, this person's candid attitude didn't worry him much, and he felt confident that things would be resolved eventually.

They got on the car together, returned to the hotel, and parted ways.

After leaving the hotel, Chen Bai headed straight home.

In his room, he showered and changed into his own clothes, not turning on his computer but grabbing the script and notebook instead, placing them on the living room table. He sat directly on the carpet, turned off the lights, and turned on the TV.

His good landlord had mentioned during the handover that the house's TV had a video streaming subscription that lasted until the end of the year, which could be used freely if needed.

He used it, just in time to watch the movie version of "Youth Journey." He had already seen the movie several times before, and counting all the times combined, this should be the fifth viewing.

A movie lasts for two hours, but with pauses, it approached three hours. In the middle, Chen Moubai brewed some black coffee, not much, just a few sips to stay alert.

Holding the water cup, he looked up at the actors on the screen, leaned back slowly, and rewound the scene he had just watched.

"..."

The night wind blew in through the half-open floor-to-ceiling window as the city lights gradually dimmed.

Putting down the empty water cup in his hands, he paused the movie. When Chen Bai checked his phone after a few hours, he found that it was past midnight.

Leaning against the sofa behind him, between continuing to watch the movie or reviewing the script, he chose to pick up his phone and send nonsense messages to his good upstairs neighbor.

"[Left Hook.jpg]"

"[Right Hook.jpg]"

After the digital boxing session, he exhaled softly. Just as he was about to put his phone down, his hand shook, and the darkened screen lit up again.

The World's Coolest Best Neighbor:

"What's up?"

Chen Moubai raised his hand and started typing.

"..."

Two minutes later, there was a knock on the entrance door.

The person sitting in the living room got up, didn't bother with slippers, and went straight to open the door. As the door opened, the good neighbor stood at the entrance, looking down at him.

Chen Bai stepped aside to let him in and asked, "Comrade Old Xu, why are you still awake so late?"

Given this person's usual sleep schedule, he should have been asleep for quite some time by now, and Chen Bai hadn't expected a response to his message at this hour.

Comrade Old Xu entered the house, closing the door behind him, and glanced at the living room with no lights on and the bright TV screen. He said, "I was thinking about something."

Chen Erbai nodded slightly, turned around, and walked towards the living room, saying, "That's quite a coincidence."

Xu Sinian followed behind, looking down at the bare feet stepping on the floor under the TV's light. He said, "It's cold on the ground. Remember to wear slippers next time; I won't be walking around outside."

Chen Bai sat down on the carpet, nodded casually, and patted the spot next to him.

He preferred sitting on the carpet rather than the sofa.

Xu Sinian supported himself with one hand on the ground and also sat down on the carpet. Glancing at the paused TV screen, he asked, "Thinking about something related to the crew?"

Chen Bai nodded. It was indeed accurate. He said, "It starts with a friend of mine. Do you want to hear about it?"

The good neighbor had come down to listen to him speak, and this was merely a polite inquiry.

The good neighbor nodded patiently as expected.

"It's like this," Chen Moubai began to gather his thoughts, then continued, "I have a friend."

He spoke of having a friend whose character shared similarities with Xu Yifan in certain aspects, and that was the crux of the matter.

This friend came from a decent background, with a father running a business, a mother who was a pianist, a grandfather who was a calligrapher, and a grandmother who was among the first batch of domestic actors. He was considered someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth in the eyes of most people.

With some money in the family and decent learning abilities, skilled at playing the piano and penning elegant calligraphy, with passable athletic prowess, this friend seemed to have cruised through life on easy mode for over a decade. He developed an equally obnoxious and troublesome personality akin to Xu Yifan's, often spending his days gaming and playing sports much like his counterpart.

The twist of fate struck during high school. As the older generation in his family passed away one by one, his father's business found itself in peril due to human error. With dozens of factories under its umbrella, the company and its employees relied heavily on its stability. Refusing to file for bankruptcy and preserve assets, his father gritted his teeth and chose instead to take out external loans to keep the company afloat.

Things appeared to improve momentarily as the company began to recover, attracting new investments and gradually repaying its debts. Yet, fate had other plans. In pursuit of further investment opportunities, the plane carrying his parents met a tragic end.

At the time, the friend was nothing more than an ordinary, clueless, and obnoxious high school student. The condensed information he received was that his parents were gone, the company was beyond saving, and the family was left with forty million in external debt. He had the choice to inherit what little remained of their estate or decline the inheritance altogether, absolving him of the burden of the forty million debt.

Xu Sinian listened intently, then turned to ask, "What did your friend decide?"

"Friendship is only inherited." Chen Bai pressed the play button on the TV remote, and when the sound came on, he continued, "The forty million includes borrowed money and the salaries of the employees."

It's not just about the money; it also contains the reputation that Father accumulated over his lifetime, along with the families that stand behind the employees. After enjoying it for more than a decade, it's time to shoulder some responsibility.

The comfortable life is gone, replaced by debts, much like Xu Yifan. Returning to school after nearly two months, even friendship has vanished.

Xu Yifan didn't achieve smooth sailing, nor did friendship.

Both experienced drastic changes in high school, their circumstances taking a sharp downturn. The only difference between friendship and Xu Yifan after these upheavals is that friendship still possesses the ability to sustain oneself.

There's an inherent difference between the two, yet on some level, the similarities are too numerous. Chen Bai mentions that when encountering certain plot points, he can't help but think of his friend.

To avoid being swayed by his friend's emotions, he has to temporarily hold back in his performance. While holding back keeps him clear-headed, it also makes it difficult to truly embody Xu Yifan.

Xu Sinian looks down at the person beside him and asks in a low voice, "Has your friend talked about these things with others?"

Chen Bai says no.

Beneath the living room table, not illuminated by the light, the man beside him subconsciously moves his hand hanging by his side.

"The Xu Yifan you speak of, who was truly portrayed," Xu Sinian retracted his hand that had been hanging by his side, feeling the cold metal strap, and looked at the scene on the television as he asked, "Is it this Xu Yifan on screen, or the Xu Yifan in the script?"

Chen Erbai affirmed that it was the Xu Yifan in the script.

"You want to portray well the Xu Yifan in the script but worry about deviating from how he is depicted in the film, so you chose a compromise between the two."

Xu Sinian said, "You're concerned that once you immerse yourself in your friend's emotions, you'll lose control of maintaining that balance in your compromise."

Just as Chen Moubai had thought, he opened his eyes and let out a sound of admiration for Comrade Old Xu's prowess.

Comrade Old Xu smiled and said, "Since there are similar traits, why couldn't it be that... your friend isn't Yifan Xu in these aspects?"

"He can portray his own version of Yifan Xu, and you can portray yours."

He added, "If you're temporarily at a loss, set aside everything else and try to associate your friend with Yifan Xu directly; perhaps there will be a pleasant surprise."

The breeze that drifted in from the half-open floor-to-ceiling window continued to blow incessantly. He stood up, slightly bent forward, and extended his hand toward the person sitting on the carpet, whispering, "It's late. Go rest now."

Chen Moubai graciously took his hand. Upon doing so, he was effortlessly lifted up by the other, making it look as if no effort was exerted at all.

He corrected himself solemnly, "You could probably take on twenty of me."

The number had doubled from the previous ten to twenty.

"..."

Comrade Old Xu pondered once more what image he held in this person's mind. In the end, he sidestepped the topic and said, "Go to sleep."

Comrade Erbai found his reasoning sound and finally turned off the television, allowing himself to be led off to bed.

Tonight was a luxury; he was lying in bed with the added indulgence of Xu Daying, the renowned actor, offering to turn off the lights for him.

*Click*

The soft sound of a switch being pressed echoed in the room as the light extinguished, plunging it into instant darkness.

In the pitch-black, the figure by the door didn't leave. After a brief silence, they spoke up,

"After all that's happened, is your friend still upset?"

The person in bed turned over and chuckled, "No need to feel sad. At least he paid off his debts back then, he's still alive, and now he even has good friends."

"Your friend is truly remarkable."

"That's for sure."

The final exchange of words concluded, the silhouette departed into the darkness, and in the ensuing silence came the sound of the front door opening and closing. The figure on the bed closed their eyes in peaceful repose.

Thanks to his good neighbor, the king of night owls, Chen Erbai, managed to catch some sleep before 2 a.m. and woke up the next day feeling completely refreshed.

Vigorously refreshed yet aching all over.

The consequence of less than an hour's basketball training was that he could barely crawl out of bed, and by the time he hobbled to the hotel, leaning on his back, his agent greeted him with mock politeness: "How old is the venerable sir this year?"

Grandpa Chen felt it wasn't a hallucination; his money-making partner was becoming increasingly unreserved in his speech.

Having just been respectfully referred to as Grandpa Chen by his money-making partner, Grandpa Chen then ran into his study buddy and basketball partner in the makeup room. Despite playing basketball with him yesterday, the partner looked no different from usual.

Seeing him so lively and energetic, Grandpa Chen was greatly taken aback, asking, "Don't your arms and legs hurt?"

Zhou Jing: "…?"

In his personal opinion, playing basketball for less than an hour, more than half of which was at a leisurely pace, should prompt one to consider why they're experiencing backaches and soreness.

Without addressing that topic, he broached another, asking, "Didn't you have action scenes today? Are you up for it?"

Chen Moubai, supporting his waist, waved him off. "I'm fine, still mobile."

Today, they split from the main crew; Group A stayed on campus to film, while their Group B went on location. After getting into costume and changing clothes, they boarded the production team's vehicle and headed elsewhere.

A minibus, just enough to accommodate the two-person team. The destination for this shoot was quite a distance from the school, specifically chosen for the scene where Xu Yifan is cornered in an alley by his friends.

The school, located near the city center, was bustling with people and had good security and surroundings, which didn't quite match the atmosphere the director sought. It was also difficult to secure permission for filming on location. After scouring the area for hours, the location scout couldn't find a suitable spot, eventually settling on the outskirts of the old town, a considerable distance away.

The old town was riddled with alleys, and the outskirts, due to aging buildings that hadn't been renovated, left many areas vacant. With few people around, it was quiet, perfect for filming and easier to obtain permission.

The vehicles pulled up one after another, as crew members disembarked to set up barriers. The art department and props team quickly arranged the set.

The next vehicle carried Friends A, B, C, and D, who also arrived on the scene.

While the crew worked on setting up the location, Chen Bai and ABCD went aside to rehearse their lines.

After Xu Yifan's fall from grace, these so-called friends cornered him in an alley near the school, intent on teaching him a lesson for his previous arrogance. However, they ended up getting beaten themselves.

This short scene was filled with intricate actions and movements, necessitating a piece-by-piece rehearsal. Zhou Jing, who merely arrived later to help resolve the situation, had a minor role and could sit back and watch the others rehearse.

As Grandpa Chen claimed he could perform, his movements were fluid when he truly got into character, belying his earlier complaints about back pain.

However, after each run-through, he would have to rest his aching back.

In just a small alley, setup was swift, but lighting proved complex. Ultimately, the lighting assistants climbed to the second floor of an unoccupied residential building near the alley to finally set up a satisfactory light.

With the lighting and camera positions ready, the preparations were complete.

Before shooting began, the makeup artist took the opportunity to touch up the actors' makeup, deepening the fake wounds on their faces.

Chen Bai stopped fussing over his back, sitting quietly as others worked on him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure approaching and, upon closer inspection, recognized his study partner.

Zhou Jing squatted down beside him, whispering, "Did you think it through all night? Did you come to any conclusions?"

"Last night, I discussed it with a friend, and I have some ideas, but they're not fully formed yet," Chen Bai slightly raised his eyes and said, "I'll have to find my rhythm while we shoot."

Zhou Jing: "A friend?"

The director called out, and the makeup artist finished her touch-ups. Without further ado, Chen Bai rose, waved his hand, and walked into the alley.

The alley was dimly lit, with faint illumination.

As the shooting commenced, everything around grew silent. Crew members no longer moved, focusing intently on the scene unfolding in the alley.

The filming started.

In the lens, a person dressed in a school uniform stepped into the alley, moving from the light into the shadows.

At a certain point, he stopped, turned to face those who had followed him into the alley, and asked without changing his expression, "What do you want?"

His lines were clear, his positioning perfect, and his expressions in place.

But it wasn't enough.

Zhou Jing, watching from the side, saw the director frown slightly, confirming his observation.

The segment ended here, with the director calling, "Cut."

He relaxed his brow, showing no frustration. Instead, he comforted, saying, "Don't rush. Find your state. We'll try again in a bit."

For an actor who rarely required multiple takes, the director didn't mind being patient, willing to spend extra time at such moments.

Chen Bai expressed his gratitude.

Following the first take, after a brief rest, they proceeded with the second.

There's no in-between with NGs; it's either zero or countless. From the second take onwards, although the emotions in the lens appeared improved, the atmosphere around clearly grew tense.

As the person walked into the alley, turned around, and engaged in a fight, the surrounding crew held their breath, nervous that the director might call "Cut" again, rendering their efforts fruitless.

Fortunately, throughout, the director remained silent, neither nodding nor shaking his head.

The clapperboard was tapped, marking the end of the second take.

The director stayed silent, lowering his head to review the footage on the computer connected to the camera. Once the videos played through, he looked up, directing his gaze at the person still standing in the alley. He said, "The footage is usable. Would you like to give it another try?"

Indeed, achieving a sense of eruption was too challenging for a newcomer. The director felt regret, but he had already imparted all he could. The rest depended on the actor's insight; if they couldn't manage it, there was nothing more he could do. Thus, he asked the actor directly for his preference.

—The footage was usable, but not excellent.

Facing the worried gazes of his agent and assistant at the alley entrance, Chen Bai adjusted his school uniform jacket, closed his eyes, then opened them. He nodded and, looking up, said, "I'd like to give it one last shot."

The director smiled. The makeup artist stepped forward to retouch the makeup, the lighting and cinematography teams repositioned, and the group of friends returned to the entrance of the alley.

The entire area fell silent. The person standing in the alley took a deep breath, lowering his head.

After a silent countdown of three seconds, the camera began rolling.

The silence of the dim alley was broken by footsteps. A person dressed in a school uniform treaded over the dirty ground, entering the alley.

Shadows flickered behind him as several figures followed into the alley.

Noticing the movement behind him, the person in the school uniform gradually halted, turning his head slightly. His pale gray eyes, partially obscured by the light, gazed back toward the entrance.

Those eyes shifted, as if assessing the former friends who had once stood alongside him.

No confusion, no anger, no sorrow—his gaze was remarkably calm, yet tinged with the usual sneer he often wore on his face, as if he had anticipated this moment.

The sneer seemed directed at both the newcomers and himself. After scanning the group, he finally spoke, asking, "What do you want?"

His voice was neither loud nor soft, his words enunciated clearly. Like the rest of his demeanor, he remained composed, blending seamlessly into the cold, damp surroundings, causing a sudden jolt within those listening.

An indistinct sense of pressure surged forth, momentarily leaving the friends speechless. Then, regaining their composure, one of them lifted his head and declared, "You should reflect on what you've done."

A few stepped forward, completely blocking the alley entrance.

With just an exchange of glances, no words were needed. The three at the front immediately dropped their schoolbags and advanced, aiming to catch their target off guard.

They were well-prepared, knowing they couldn't win in individual confrontations, so they planned to overwhelm him by all attacking at once, hoping to pin him down.

One remained at the mouth of the alley, hesitating left and right. Seeing the situation turning grim, he shakily pulled out a small knife and approached step by step, threatening, "If you resist... this blade will find its way to your body!"

As his threat hung in the air, someone already lay on the ground, sprawled on the only clean spot amidst the filth of the mud.

The one standing in the middle of the alley had dirt stains on his school uniform, with clear signs of a struggle. After casually wiping away the grime mixed with blood from his face, he lifted his eyes to meet the other's gaze.

Those were eyes devoid of any emotion; the scuffle moments ago hadn't stirred even the slightest ripple in them.

Then, the other party smiled.

It was a smile, but there was not a hint of warmth or joy in those eyes.

It was an expression unseen by all. It turned out that when the usual smile froze into coldness, it was more piercing and chilling than any other expression, cutting straight to the heart.