Chapter 47

Chapter 47

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chu Heng resumed work, focusing on completing his signed business contracts.

One day, during a break from shooting a brand advertisement, he received a call from Meng Hui. Meng Hui remained silent, but the wail of police sirens in the background grew louder and clearer. After several minutes, Meng Hui finally spoke: "You win."

Meng Hui was arrested. Aside from Old Ding, everyone else at the company was shocked. They couldn't understand how this usually shy and mild-mannered young man could have broken the law.

Wang Yelong was particularly stunned. Putting together Meng Hui's previous irrational behavior, he grew suspicious and came to ask Chu Heng. Chu Heng explained the whole story. After hearing it, Wang Yelong's expression turned complicated. He stared at Chu Heng, wanting to say something but holding back. He probably never imagined having a potential criminal, someone bold enough to set a trap, and a seemingly honest driver with a knack for undercover work around him.

"So, what about the Yu family? What are you going to do?" Wang Yelong finally managed to ask after a long pause.

"That's not for me to worry about," Chu Heng replied.

The Yu family was like a centipede that dies but doesn't stiffen—a lingering force. Yu Shangbiao's death had exposed a far-reaching drug trafficking ring. During subsequent police anti-drug operations, most of the Yu family were swept up and imprisoned, leaving only a few incapable of taking charge. The Yu family was finished.

Likely unwilling to see their wealth and glory go up in smoke, the remaining Yu family members were up to no good but were afraid of inviting trouble by targeting the Chen family directly. After Meng Hui appeared, they set their sights on him, hoping to use him to get back at Chen Jinsheng. At that time, Chen Jinsheng was still in prison, so they had Meng Hui get close to Chu Heng.

The Yu family poured their own hatred and resentment into Meng Hui, weaving lie after lie to egg him on to do bad things. Meanwhile, Meng Hui, seeing Chu Heng living the high life and thinking of Yu Shangbiao, let this hatred take root and grow out of control within him, leading to today's outcome.

After Meng Hui was caught, the Yu family's remaining plots could no longer be hidden. The Chen family would handle it, and their methods would be far more sophisticated than Chu Heng's.

He Mingshuang's lengthy article gave Chu Heng's reputation a huge boost. Consequently, after resuming work, a steady stream of commercial offers came his way. Chu Heng rejected them all. If any were suitable, he recommended talent from his own company. They weren't famous yet, but each had several upcoming dramas.

When it came to scripts, Chu Heng only looked at film offers. Occasionally, he would actively reach out to production teams to audition for roles.

Over time, Wang Yelong caught on and quietly shifted his focus to the six newcomers.

Chu Heng concentrated on filming movies, steering clear of commercial gigs. After his commercial contracts expired, his Weibo posts became less and less frequent. He was mostly buried in film work. After wrapping up one project, he would rest for ten days to half a month, either staying at the company or traveling with Chen Jinsheng.

They went on a road trip through the vast northwest, driving slowly down deserted highways. They strolled through overseas cities, enjoying the melodious songs of street buskers and freely flying white pigeons. They also went skiing in Greenland, sailed across the Aegean Sea on a ferry, and watched the northern lights on the endless snowfields of Finland.

Occasionally, locals or tourists recognized Chu Heng, and he would smile and respond. From every place they visited, Chu Heng would select a few travel photos to post on Weibo—some were scenery, some were solo photos of himself.

But sometimes, Chu Heng would deliberately take a scenic photo containing the faint shadows of two people, hiding it among all the other photos he posted.

After returning from trips, Chu Heng would continue devoting himself to his film career.

He collaborated with Qu Chuan for a second time. Surprisingly, Bai Leyao also starred in the film, in a pivotal role.

Chu Heng had several scenes with Bai Leyao and clearly felt that Bai Leyao's acting skills had improved by leaps and bounds. Just by looking into his eyes, Chu Heng could immediately immerse himself in the character.

He was indeed getting closer to the performing genius he remembered from his past life.

Chu Heng admired this version of Bai Leyao, but he was still very surprised and taken aback by Bai Leyao's words.

"You want to sign with my company?"

In his past life, Bai Leyao had clearly been signed to the Chen family's agency.

Bai Leyao scratched his head. "My current contract is almost up. Brother Chu Heng, your company signs artists too, right? What do you think of me?"

"Of course, you're welcome." From any perspective, Bai Leyao was a great prospect; signing him was a safe bet. "Have you thought it through? Will your current company let you go?"

Bai Leyao chuckled a few times. "My uncle's got it covered. Don't worry, they'll let me go. My uncle said signing with your company, with Uncle Chen around, I won't be treated poorly."

Chu Heng understood and agreed very readily: "Alright. I'll take you to the company another day to discuss the contract."

Bai Leyao's face lit up and he was about to agree when he heard Chu Heng continue: "After signing the contract, you'll have to change what you call me."

"Change what?" Bai Leyao looked confused.

Chu Heng raised an eyebrow. "You call him Uncle, but call me Brother. Is that appropriate?"

Bai Leyao stammered a couple of times. Staring at Chu Heng's face, he absolutely couldn't bring himself to call him 'Uncle.' But calling Chen Jinsheng 'Brother' would mess up the generational order...

He hemmed and hawed for a while. "How about... I call you Boss?"

"That sounds too distant." Chu Heng took out a cigarette and held it between his lips, patting Bai Leyao's shoulder. "Come on, call me Uncle in advance."

Bai Leyao's face turned red with effort, but not a single word came out. Chu Heng watched him leisurely, his expression clearly stating, 'If you don't call me that today, don't think about leaving.'

"Un..." Bai Leyao's lips moved slightly. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he looked behind Chu Heng and said, "Uncle Chen!"

Chu Heng scoffed. "Not bad, kid. You even know how to use your Uncle Chen to trick me now. Fine, if you don't want to change it, then don't. Just don't call me that in front of your Uncle Chen."

He hadn't smoked in a long time. Now, with the cigarette between his lips, the smell of tobacco drifted into his nose, making him a bit itchy for it. After speaking, he took out a lighter and lowered his head to light the cigarette, mumbling, "Go back. Your scene is next. Don't be late."

Bai Leyao looked at him, then behind him, hesitantly saying, "Oh..."

"Change what?"

Chu Heng's hand trembled, almost getting singed by the flame. The next second, he immediately put away the lighter and stuffed the cigarette into his pocket. Turning around, he smiled: "What are you doing here?"

Chen Jinsheng glanced at his pocket, then took his hand and enveloped it in his palm. "Picking you up from work."

The film had just started shooting. The early stages mainly involved studio filming, and the sets were built in City B. Therefore, Chu Heng didn't stay at the hotel arranged by the crew; he went home every day after wrap. His scenes were numerous, so by the time he got home, it was usually late at night. He was busy filming, and Chen Jinsheng often worked overtime at the company. But Chen Jinsheng knew Chu Heng's daily schedule and, regardless of his own workload, always made it home before Chu Heng. Thus, the lights were always on when Chu Heng returned.

However, this was the first time Chen Jinsheng had come to the set personally to pick him up. Chu Heng felt a bit strange inside. After being led a few steps, he pulled his hand back: "There are people around."

He said it very seriously, as if admonishing Chen Jinsheng to be more discreet. If Bai Leyao hadn't seen him curl his fingers to scratch Chen Jinsheng's palm before pulling his hand away, he might have been fooled by that stern expression.

Chen Jinsheng gave him a helpless look but didn't insist on holding his hand. Instead, he walked on the side with more people passing by, shielding Chu Heng. The latter naturally moved closer to him. After walking a distance, Chu Heng suddenly reached out and, hidden by his wide sleeve, grabbed Chen Jinsheng's finger.

Chen Jinsheng tilted his head to look at him, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. But Chu Heng didn't notice. After doing that, he lowered his head and quickened his pace. After a few steps, he slowed down again, matching Chen Jinsheng's stride, and stopped making those childish and unnecessary little gestures in the eyes of outsiders.

Bai Leyao watched the two walk side by side into the distance, thinking that his uncle usually worried for nothing; their relationship was clearly excellent.

"Ah Yao!"

The director's call came from afar.

"Coming!"

Bai Leyao withdrew his gaze and turned to walk into the studio.

*

The car Chen Jinsheng drove today was uncharacteristically flashy—a Maybach. A love for cars is a common trait among men. Chu Heng had once been extremely obsessed with sports cars, even to the point of buying one every few months. For this, he had bought several parking spaces. His acting fees often hadn't even warmed his pocket before flowing out again, causing Wang Yelong to scold him for being wasteful.

However, his passion for cars came and went quickly. Within a year, his interest waned, and he sold off the luxury cars and parking spaces, keeping only a Maybach as a memento of that period of splurging on beloved cars and a Porsche for everyday use. He also frequently flew, and when attending events, he used the car the company provided for Old Ding. Therefore, aside from annual maintenance, this Maybach basically gathered dust in the garage.

After Chen Jinsheng got his driver's license again, he also drove the other Porsche.

So, sitting in it now, Chu Heng had the illusion of being in someone else's car.

The car had undergone maintenance not long ago. The interior was as fresh as if it had just left the factory. Chu Heng fastened his seatbelt and looked around, spotting a large bouquet of flowers on the back seat.

Thanks to Chen Jinsheng buying flowers every day, Chu Heng was now a semi-expert on flowers. He recognized at a glance that the main flowers in this white and pink bouquet were double peonies. There were three varieties, called something like 'Sunset Coral,' 'Cream Bowl,' and 'Tokyo Girl'—all very interesting names.

"Didn't you already buy flowers today? Are these for tomorrow?" he asked.

"No." Chen Jinsheng reached out with his long arm, took the bouquet of peonies, and placed it on Chu Heng's lap. "These are for you."

Chu Heng held the flowers with one hand while immediately pulling out his phone with the other to look up the meaning of peonies.

Chen Jinsheng's eyes crinkled with a smile. After confirming Chu Heng had fastened his seatbelt, he started the car.

There were many interpretations of peony meanings online. Chu Heng read through them one by one, then, finally satisfied, put away his phone. He held the flowers, lowered his head to take a gentle sniff, and after admiring it with delight, he habitually glanced out the window. Only then did he realize Chen Jinsheng wasn't taking his usual route home from the set.

Having grown up in City B, Chen Jinsheng was very familiar with the city's roads and never used GPS while driving. It was rush hour, but the road he was on wasn't congested; in fact, there seemed to be fewer and fewer cars.

The speed was steadily controlled, and soon Chu Heng could only see the cars ahead shrinking into the distance and the vehicles in the rearview mirror growing smaller. The evening breeze drifted in, carrying the fragrance of the peonies throughout the car. Chu Heng turned his head to see Chen Jinsheng guiding the wheel with one hand while pressing the window control button with the other, lowering Chu Heng's window halfway.

"Want to go see a movie?" Chen Jinsheng asked softly.

The movie was an 8 PM showing. Chen Jinsheng had taken a detour around the outskirts, where traffic was sparse. Looking out through the windshield, Chu Heng saw the sun on the horizon reduced to a blurry semicircle, its radiant glow dyeing the clouds a magnificent crimson, like brocade.

The setting sun melts into gold, twilight clouds merge like jade. Where is the person?

Chu Heng suddenly smiled.

Where is the person?

Right where they belong.

The movie was a widely promoted recent comedy, but its actual plot was rather cliché: exaggerated character makeup, dense yet hackneyed jokes, and a finale that tried to force emotional tears and profundity—utterly boring.

Yet, Chu Heng watched it with great relish, accompanied by popcorn and cola, and even after the movie ended, his face still wore a lingering smile. The brilliant smile was clearly visible in his eyes. Chen Jinsheng's slightly furrowed brows relaxed, though a hint of puzzlement and disapproval lingered.

He asked Chu Heng, "So, you liked it?"

"It was very good," Chu Heng replied.

Chen Jinsheng was even more puzzled.

Chu Heng tugged at his mask and said, "It really was very good. It's the best movie I've seen in a theater in recent years."

In fact, aside from premieres and preview screenings of his own films, Chu Heng hadn't set foot in a movie theater for years.

"Alright, let's go home first," he said.

Compared to a year ago, the large apartment he now lived in could be described as completely transformed. Wooden furniture was neatly arranged, the floors were spotless, and the air carried a refreshing, pleasant fragrance. The balcony was lush with greenery, the scent of flowers drifting in. On the woven rattan hanging chair, cushions and a thin woolen blanket were casually placed, with a half-read book lying face-down on the blanket, as if someone had just been sitting there reading.

Cups, slippers, and other items always appeared in pairs, yet they were never mixed up, each placed neatly in its proper spot.

Chu Heng took a shower first. When he came out of the bathroom, Chen Jinsheng was, as usual, working on his laptop, his expression calm and serious, as if facing a tough work issue.

Chu Heng was long accustomed to this. Holding his phone with two fingers, he got into bed, snuggled under the covers, and played on his phone. Chen Jinsheng glanced at him and tucked a pillow under his neck. Chu Heng kept his eyes on his phone, slightly lifting his neck. When the movement behind his head stopped, he lowered his head back down, so comfortable his eyes narrowed with contentment.

Chen Jinsheng closed his laptop and went to take a shower.

Chu Heng played on his phone for a while when he suddenly received a script from Qu Chuan.

[There are changes to tomorrow's scenes.]

The first scene tomorrow centered on Chu Heng, so familiarizing himself with the revised plot and lines was basic professionalism. Chu Heng replied with an OK gesture, reached for the tablet on the bedside table to read the script, but found it had run out of battery and shut down.

The charging cable was in the living room. Chu Heng was too lazy to get out of bed to fetch it. He looked around and finally picked up the laptop Chen Jinsheng had casually left on the edge of the bed.

Chu Heng entered the password effortlessly. The laptop screen was still on the page from before it was closed.

#Must-Read for Guys! 100 Must-Do Things for Couples to Boost Happiness!#

Chu Heng's expression twisted into a weird expression for a second.

It clearly stated:

1. Giving flowers might be a cliché, but it's essential. Remember, the bouquet should be big, expensive, and most importantly, beautiful! The flower meaning is also crucial—always check before giving!

2. If you have money, take your girlfriend for a drive in a luxury car. If you don't, please don't take your girlfriend for a bike ride, because bicycle seats are uncomfortable (PS: especially if your pedaling skills are utterly terrible).

3. Be a person of taste. Choose a high-quality comedy and take your girlfriend to a quiet cinema for a great movie experience. If it's a weekday, pick an earlier evening show. Sitting side by side in the dim, quiet theater, sharing smiles, successfully creating a romantic atmosphere.

4. Food can soothe the soul. Master your girlfriend's tastes and dietary restrictions 100%...

As Chu Heng read on, the image of Chen Jinsheng's solemn expression earlier flashed suddenly in his mind. He couldn't hold back a laugh.

Taking advantage of the sound of the shower covering the noise, he clutched his stomach, laughing silently and uncontrollably for quite a while before finally stopping. He closed the laptop, returned it to its place, and picked up his own phone to read the script.

A moment later, Chen Jinsheng came out of the bathroom, put away his computer, and got into bed.

Chu Heng deliberately asked him, "Finished all your work?"

Chen Jinsheng: "Mm."

Chu Heng buried the lower half of his face in the blanket, secretly hiding his uncontrollable smile.

*

Qu Chuan's film required location shooting elsewhere for the later stages, so Chu Heng was away from City B for nearly two months. He had left with only one light suitcase, but returned with numerous large bags and boxes, moving them from the car to the front door one by one with Old Ding.

When Chen Jinsheng arrived home, several cardboard boxes were still unopened in the living room. Chu Heng was sitting on the floor, left hand resting his chin in his hand, right hand idly holding a pair of scissors by the handle, staring blankly into space.

Seeing Chen Jinsheng, he straightened up slightly. "Come here, help open the boxes."

He said this, but didn't move himself. Chen Jinsheng assumed he was tired and didn't want to move, so he walked over, took the scissors, and started opening the boxes.

The scissors sliced through the tape with a tearing sound. Chu Heng watched him intently. Thinking the boxes contained valuable items, Chen Jinsheng became more careful with his movements.

However, when he opened the box and saw its contents, he couldn't help but freeze.

Chu Heng leaned forward, peering into the box. "Nothing's damaged, right?"

Chen Jinsheng's throat moved slightly. "Nothing's damaged."

Each item was well-wrapped: his certificates, trophies, and medals from childhood to adulthood; the models, books, and records he loved in his youth; the violin he once played; photo albums—all preserved perfectly, without a single scratch.

"That's good." Chu Heng sat back down. "Aunt Mu brought all these things out. We went back a few times later to get more. They were originally stored in the villa at Hechi Mountain Manor, but we don't go there often, so I moved everything here this time. We'll put them in the study later, or maybe order another shelf—want to take inventory?"

While Chen Jinsheng took inventory, Chu Heng sat beside him fiddling with his phone. Due to the angle, Chen Jinsheng couldn't see what he was doing. He didn't take every item out of the boxes, just opened them all and looked at each thing inside.

His past experiences and honors, his mother's longing, pride, and love for him—it was all here.

Chen Jinsheng stood still, gazing for a long time, until a special notification tone came from his pocket.

He snapped out of his reverie. Chu Heng, who had been watching him at some point, was now smiling, propping his chin on his hand and waving his phone at him.

He used a different form of address this time: "Mr. Chen, I'm very happy right now."

Chen Jinsheng slowly opened his phone.

"@Chu Heng: I'm taken. [Picture]"

It was a picture of a handwritten list on A4 paper, with fifty lines of content in two columns, in Chu Heng's handwriting. Numbered from 1 to 100, the first four items—sending flowers, going for a drive, watching a movie, and having dinner together—were all checked off.

Chen Jinsheng was familiar with these concise entries; he'd looked over this list many times on a webpage. The last few items, however, were slightly different.

- 99. Exchange rings

- 100. Live together

Both of these items were also checked off.

Chu Heng winked at him. "The 100 Things Couples Gotta Do—they don’t have to be in order. But—" He dragged out the word, teasing him with a brief pause before continuing, "I think we can finish them all. We can pick any one we feel like, do it as often as we want. What do you think?"

Chen Jinsheng was momentarily speechless.

Chu Heng rarely posted on Weibo these days. Apart from travel photos every few months and movie promotions, his Weibo wouldn't have any new content. Unlike TV series, there are only a handful of major films released each year. To ensure novelty and competitiveness, it was rare for multiple big films in the same year to feature the same actor. As a result, Chu Heng wasn't very active on the silver screen lately, leading many fans to joke that he was in a semi-retired state.

This Weibo post was like an atomic bomb dropped into a long-quiet lake, setting off a huge uproar. In a flash, the reposts and comments surged to astonishing numbers.

Chen Jinsheng didn't read a single comment. The moment Chu Heng decided to post this, all outside opinions didn't matter anymore.

He put his phone away and walked over to Chu Heng, kneeling down to embrace him.

"Thank you."

Chu Heng relaxed, resting his chin on Chen Jinsheng’s shoulder. "Thank you, too."

Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for loving me and protecting me.

He blinked slowly, and a blue interface materialized before his eyes. The debt data was still negative, but an unprecedented sense of hope rose in Chu Heng’s heart.

The company was running steadily, and every year, Chen Jinsheng and he would set aside a sum of money for charity, focusing on supporting education in impoverished areas.

After twists and turns, though with some deviations, Chen Jinsheng had still found his way back to his original life path. He would become a philanthropist praised and respected by society, living a fulfilling life and passing away peacefully in old age.

What was different was that, in this life, Chu Heng walked the same path with him, side by side, year after year, until their hair turned white and they never parted.

Author’s Note:

The first world ends here. Thank you all for your company 030~ The next world is set in a post-apocalyptic setting. I’ll need a few days to organize the outline before diving in!