Chapter 69: Just to See One Person

Chapter 69: Just to See One Person

Qiu Yuelun drove all night to City S. Though physically exhausted, he was mentally wired.

He had learned that Jian Ye’s filming location would be at City S First High School for the near future. The set wasn’t open to the public, especially since it was a school—his attention-grabbing race car would be even more out of the question.

Parking his car across from the school, he grabbed a few hours of light sleep to recharge.

After waking up, Qiu Yuelun zoned out.

He figured out how to get close enough to see Jian Ye, and soon noticed the crew’s craft services van that regularly delivered food and water.

This was likely managed by the set PAs, who drove a small minivan.

As luck would have it, the van encountered a minor issue about 150 meters from the school.

Qiu Yuelun snapped his fingers in the car, a smirk curling his lips as he grabbed a black baseball cap nearby, taming his striking red hair.

Pulling on a mask, he strode over quickly. “Need help? I can fix cars.”

The young assistant, probably new to the job, was breaking a sweat, frantic about how to transport all the crew’s meals into the school. The sudden appearance of this cool, handsome guy offering help was like a godsend.

To the assistant, Qiu Yuelun looked like an angel, making his eyes instantly brighten. “You-you can really fix it?”

“Yeah, let me try.” Qiu Yuelun was a man of few words. He glanced inside the van, gave the key a few turns, and listened to the engine.

Then he crouched down to inspect underneath before looking up. “Got a toolbox?”

“Ah! There’s one in the trunk!” The assistant asked but was already moving.

After standing up, Qiu Yuelun shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto the car seat. “Got a jack?”

The assistant shook his head, laughing awkwardly. “This is a beat-up old van. Aside from the toolbox, nothing else is properly equipped.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been stuck freaking out on the side of the road. He’d been about to call a mechanic when this young man appeared out of nowhere, which made his day.

People always said big cities were cold, but there were still good people around!

Qiu Yuelun brushed his hands together. “Hold on.”

After those two words, he headed over to a sports car parked across the street. The assistant stared open-mouthed as Qiu Yuelun casually opened the door, climbed in, and emerged seconds later with a set of tools before booking it back to the minivan.

“……” The assistant was stunned, his head spinning.

That sports car had to be worth millions.

This guy owned it? Holy shit…

What kind of luck was this, having a sports car owner personally fix his piece-of-crap van?!

Qiu Yuelun moved fast, leaving the assistant no room to help even if he wanted to.

With practiced ease, Qiu Yuelun lifted up the rear of the van, slid underneath, and went to town with a screwdriver.

“H-hey man, be careful! Don’t go hurting yourself over this. If it’s too much, I can call—”

The crew assistant had only spoken halfway when a stiff, dried-up branch flew out from under the car.

The young man followed right after; he was out in under thirty seconds.

Qiu Yuelun walked past him, sat in the driver's seat, and started the car. Hearing the normal engine sound, he said to the assistant, "All good. Just something stuck in the driveshaft. The car isn’t broken."

Qiu Yuelun tossed the screwdriver back into the toolbox, only to turn and find the assistant staring at him with eyes shining with admiration.

Qiu Yuelun: "..."

The assistant excitedly grabbed his hand. Qiu instinctively wanted to pull away, but remembering his goal for the day, he endured it.

"Thank you so much! You're my hero! When I was freaking out, it was you, dude, who came to my rescue! When I was like a cat on a hot tin roof, it was you, dude, who came through for me! I can’t even express how grateful I am!"

"..."

Qiu wondered if this assistant had watched too many absurd comedies—his words were downright bizarre.

When the assistant tried to pay him, Qiu refused.

"Dude, I know you don't need the money—I figured that out the moment I saw your sports car. But this is just my way to show my thanks. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to thank you."

Qiu got straight to business: "Take me into the crew."

"Huh?"

"Take me in, and we’ll call it even for the favor." Qiu stared firmly into the assistant’s eyes.

...

On set. Fourth-floor hallway of the teaching building.

Jian Ye was leaning over the director’s monitor, reviewing the footage they had just shot. Only when satisfied did he step away.

His performance today was even better than yesterday—several of his solo scenes were done perfectly in one take.

Everyone on set was impressed by Jian Ye. For a non-acting major, his ability to work with the camera was nothing short of innate talent.

With scenes flowing smoothly, the crew also had an easier time, not having to repeatedly adjust angles for retakes.

There were some ensemble scenes scheduled for today, capturing campus life, so some extras were present as well.

Noticing that Xiao Chun hadn’t actively approached him today, Jian Ye couldn't care less.

It was best if he didn’t provoke him—Jian Ye was happy to enjoy the peace. But if Xiao Chun insisted on starting something, he wouldn’t mind spending a little extra time humbling him.

By noon, lunch was delivered.

Not wanting to jostle with the crowd, Jian Ye took a lunch box and sat in the stairwell.

Mo Huan saw Jian Ye heading to the stairwell and was about to follow when Director Wu stopped him, saying they needed to discuss the afternoon scenes over lunch.

Reluctantly, Mo abandoned his plan and walked toward Director Wu instead.

Jian Ye happily ate alone in the stairwell, even eating with gusto.

He wasn’t picky—he’d choked down worse set meals in the past. This catering had been specially arranged by Huo Kai to upgrade the set meals, and Jian Ye found it delicious.

Being able to enjoy good food on set was another benefit of Yi Siyu's connections.

If it weren't for Yi Siyu having so many badass friends, he wouldn’t have been able to enjoy such great treatment.

While Jian Ye was eating with gusto, he had no idea someone was watching him from behind.

Qiu Yuelun’s heart was racing—he and Jian Ye were separated by just a single wall.

Jian Ye was in the stairwell, while Qiu Yuelun stood in the hallway around the corner, leaning against the wall and slightly tilting his head to peer inside.

If his brothers found out that he had sneaked into a film crew by fixing a beat-up minivan for some PA—just to see one person—they would surely have their jaws drop…

Qiu Yuelun had disguised himself thoroughly. The young production assistant had given him a temporary work pass to wear, making him look more like a crew member.

Normally, outsiders weren’t allowed on set, but under Qiu Yuelun’s mix of coaxing and pressure, the inexperienced assistant reluctantly agreed.

Qiu Yuelun had claimed he was Jian Ye’s fan and only wanted to see him, promising not to cause any disturbance.

The assistant had been terrified at first, fearing Qiu Yuelun might be a rabid sasaeng fan. But after repeated assurances that he wouldn’t take unauthorized photos or disrupt filming, the assistant finally relented.

To prove his sincerity, Qiu Yuelun even turned off his phone and handed it over to the assistant, stuffing it directly into his pocket.

The assistant was stunned—were Jian Ye’s male fans really this intense? And Jian Ye’s fanbase was so diverse. Seeing how loaded Qiu Yuelun appeared, he couldn’t help but whistle.

Celebrity chasers really were all wealthy, but for a trust-fund kid to stoop to this level for fandom? That was downright touching.

A refined young master like him, willing to grime up his expensive clothes by lying on the ground to fix a car for a nobody like me—what rich person would go that far?

Once inside the set, Qiu Yuelun kept to himself, causing no disruptions to the filming. He even helped carry equipment, which finally put the assistant at ease.

In the stairwell.

The young man’s cheeks puffed as he chewed, making anyone who saw him feel hungrier.

The corners of Qiu Yuelun’s lips curled into a faint smile. This version of Jian Ye was so different from Jian Ye onstage—more everyday charm.

Onstage, the dancing youth was a heart-stealing siren, but in private, Jian Ye was like a lively, happy puppy with sunny golden retriever energy.

The more Qiu Yuelun learned about him, the more his heart stirred.

That night when Jian Ye had gotten into trouble, he had been stunned by the boy all over again.

What kind of sense of justice must one have to dive into the water to save someone without hesitation?

Qiu Yuelun had grown up in a twisted environment. His morals might be warped, yet he still clung to that rare moral line.

Jian Ye was like a beam of light shining into his life, and now, his own actions resembled those of a stalker—a moth to a flame, knowing it would burn but unable to resist.

He had done plenty of rebellious stunts before, but this was the one he felt most worth doing.

...

After finishing his meal, Jian Ye neatly closed the takeout box and placed it in a bag. Spotting a trash bin on the landing between floors, he climbed half a flight to dispose of it.

Just as he was about to head back down, he froze—Xiao Chun was also in the stairwell, having just finished his own meal and preparing to throw away his trash.

Their eyes met, and the air went thick.

Jian Ye had been on the fourth-floor steps, while Xiao Chun was on the fifth-floor steps, with the trash bin on the landing between them.

While eating, they hadn’t seen each other, but now, gathered at the same spot, it was like fate had it out for them.

Ugh, terrible luck.

Jian Ye thought bitterly to himself.

He had no intention of engaging with this person and was about to walk away when a mocking laugh came from behind him. "What? Now that no one's around, you can’t even bother pretending?"

Xiao Chun crossed his arms over his chest, his previously gentle expression turning cold and menacing in an instant.

Jian Ye turned around and flashed him a smile in return. "Look who’s talking. My acting still can’t compare to yours, Brother Xiao. Your ability to switch faces in a split second is perfect for Sichuan opera."

"You—!" Xiao Chun was infuriated by Jian Ye’s casual sarcasm. "Don’t think just because everyone likes and favors you now, you can act all high and mighty around me. You’re not even the main lead, yet you want to be the group’s darling? Careful—your fake nice act might backfire!"

What persona? The green tea persona? That wouldn’t flip. The system would warn him. Just now, he had been pushing the limits of his act and had been reminded by the system several times.

As long as he was in front of outsiders, he couldn’t break character. So even his sarcasm toward Xiao Chun had to have a "tea"-flavored edge—though this cup was loaded with sarcasm.

"Brother Xiao, you flatter me too much. Just yesterday, you slapped me. If you don’t like me, how could I possibly be the group’s darling? To be the darling, one has to be liked by everyone. Why don’t you try pretending, Brother Xiao? Pretend to like me. I won’t tell anyone it’s all an act."

Jian Ye wore a fake gracious look, his eyes crinkling sweetly as he smiled beautifully.

Even if someone saw them, they’d only think the two were having a pleasant conversation—nothing unusual would be noticed.

Xiao Chun was left speechless by Jian Ye’s shamelessness, his malice surging uncontrollably.

He glanced up—there were no surveillance cameras here.

Just as Jian Ye turned to leave, Xiao Chun smirked sinisterly and raised his hand, giving him a hard shove from behind.

"Author's Note"

Jian Xiaogou: This takeout slaps. (*munching sounds jpg.*)

After seeing Xiao Bailian—

Jian Xiaogou: Gross... *hurk*... (*eyes rolling so hard they might get stuck jpg.*)