Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Qin Xiao strode over briskly. He was tall, with strong, chiseled features and healthy bronze skin—a very masculine and spirited look.

He grinned, showing a brilliant smile. His personality was cheerful and warm in private, not much different from his on-screen persona.

Behind him, another man followed closely, never leaving his side.

That man had fairer skin, wore a stiff formal suit with a tie, had a wireless earpiece, and was half a head taller than Qin Xiao. His face was expressionless and extremely serious.

"Back so soon?"

Seeing this, Qi Ze waved, gesturing for both to take their seats.

"Of course. I snagged Director Zhao's new script, and I even snatched it from Qu Liang. I had to show up."

Qin Xiao pulled out a chair and sat down with a bold, assertive posture beside Song Nian, exuding a casual, unpretentious air that showed no seniority.

Then, he stroked his chin, leaned sideways, and peered at Song Nian.

"Let me guess—this must be Song Nian, little bro? And that must be Chairman Li?"

Qi Ze snapped his fingers, signaling a correct guess, and briefly introduced them to each other.

From his words, Song Nian learned that the man beside Qin Xiao was his personal bodyguard, Jin Chengzhou.

"H-Hello!"

Unlike Li Yanchuan’s slight nod, Song Nian, upon being introduced, hurriedly stood up, nervously bowed, and visibly began to stammer.

Being this close to a legendary senior he’d only ever seen on screen before, he was so flustered that he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Come on, this was a top-tier figure!

Normally, he’d never even have a chance to see him, let alone meet face to face.

Qin Xiao had displayed his acting talent as soon as he debuted, with incredible versatility. Every drama he starred in sparked a craze, and he won awards by the truckload, hailed by the media as a genius born to be an actor.

If Qu Liang was a rising star, Qin Xiao was the eternal North Star. Though both bore the title of Best Actor, their achievements were worlds apart.

"Don’t be nervous. Sit down, sit down."

Amused by his reaction, Qin Xiao waved his hand to calm him, then sincerely praised without any pretense.

"I’ve seen your work. You have a lot of talent. Director Zhao made the right choice casting you."

Like an uncut gem, with a little guidance, he would surely achieve amazing results in time.

Unsure whether to be surprised that a senior had seen his performances or thrilled to receive such high praise, Song Nian instantly turned into a starstruck fan, looking up at the man with starry eyes.

This fan-meets-idol scene made the two men present frown in unison.

Jin Chengzhou reached out and unceremoniously pushed Qin Xiao back into his seat, a move so practiced it clearly wasn’t the first time.

Meanwhile, Li Yanchuan remained silent but reached out to pull Song Nian closer by the shoulder, marking his territory.

"You’ll all be in the same production from now on. Look out for each other and help one another."

Qi Ze said.

Putting together this with Qi Ze’s earlier words, Song Nian quickly realized that Qin Xiao would be taking on the lead role, leaving him too shocked to speak.

All the arrangements had already been finalized with Director Zhao, who was eager to accept Qin Xiao’s offer to step in.

In fact, Qin Xiao had always been the director’s first choice for the lead role.

But initially, due to scheduling conflicts, even though Qin Xiao loved the script, he had to reluctantly turn it down.

Now, with the incident causing the filming schedule to be delayed indefinitely, his schedule cleared up. Coupled with a minor past conflict with Qu Liang, Qin Xiao couldn’t be more eager to take on the role again.

"I can’t wait to see that brat Qu Liang’s face when he finds out."

Just imagining how furious he would be upon seeing that Qin Xiao had taken the role made him feel euphoric.

—Qu Liang’s fans had been trying to leech off his fame for years, and with personal grievances between the two sides, not only were the fans at odds, but Qin Xiao himself had long been sick of Qu Liang.

"Please don’t say such undignified things."

Jin Chengzhou sighed, his tone helpless but tinged with indulgence.

"Senior Qin, I look forward to your guidance!"

The excited Song Nian stood up again and bowed.

"Easy, easy. Let’s work well together. I really like your on-screen presence."

Qin Xiao smiled in response, shaking his hand.

The two expressionless men inside the room exchanged a glance, understood each other’s unspoken signal, and reached out simultaneously to separate their handshake.

Two confused people, two stern-faced individuals, and one who was grinning stupidly.

—A businessman’s intuition told Qi Ze that this drama would be a huge hit, as if he could already foresee a bright future.

He wore a smile brighter than the sun, completely oblivious to the atmosphere among the other four.

————

After leaving the company, Song Nian looked up at the sun above.

The sunlight seemed even more brilliant than before, and the sky bluer.

The gloom that had been pressing down on him had completely dissipated. He had thought this storm would crush him, but a strong, reassuring hand had easily resolved it.

And all of this was thanks to Li Yanchuan.

So this is what it felt like—to have someone care about how you feel, to bear all the negativity for you, to stand up for you and protect you.

Like walking alone in a rainstorm, drenched and freezing, when someone hands you an umbrella from behind.

With this thought, a wave of warmth surged in his heart. He turned his gaze away from the window and looked at Li Yanchuan beside him.

Seeing that he seemed to have something to say, Li Yanchuan looked back at him, his patient eyes curved gently. He reached out to smooth down the stray strands of hair ruffled by the wind.

Song Nian didn’t say anything. He just stared at the man, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, his puppy-dog eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Thank you."

Then he slowly leaned in, giving the man a big hug, burying himself in his chest as he spoke in a soft but sincere voice.

Afterward, the steps to resolve this crisis seemed so clear and measured, but he knew that pulling everything together was not easy.

It wasn’t just about energy – it also involved communication, coordination, managing public opinion, and a ton of cash.

Just the contract buyout fees alone must have cost a fortune. According to what Qi Ze secretly let slip, both the production's investment and the contract buyout were covered by Li Yanchuan.

He said he could be relied on, and true to his word, he would be so reassuring and help solve everything, like a solid pillar, making you feel completely secure.

Is this what happiness feels like – being able to lean on someone?

“Doesn’t helping me like this cost you a lot?”

Feeling embarrassed, Song Nian looped his arm around Li Yanchuan's and mumbled.

“I've got money; I'm just afraid you won't want to use it.”

Li Yanchuan's expression softened fondly as he stroked the back of Song Nian's hand.

“You just need to pursue your dreams; leave the rest to me.”

No matter what comes up, I'll clear the path. Just keep your warm smile and pure heart.

The ambiguity of these words was so strong that it felt like if he just asked, Li Yanchuan would agree to anything.

Feeling even more flustered, Song Nian could feel his cheeks flushing and his heart racing.

“What if those netizens later really criticize me for buying my role?”

He hurriedly averted his gaze and changed the subject, unconsciously letting a playful whine slip into his voice.

“Let them talk. People always make up stuff about what they don't have themselves. I pave the way for you because I believe your abilities are worthy of this path.”

Li Yanchuan’s tone was steady and firm, his voice deep and magnetic, filling Song Nian with a deep sense of reassurance.

Unlike the doubts and wavering of netizens, Li Yanchuan gave him a trust even firmer than his own self-belief.

No one had ever cared for him so meticulously and trusted him so steadfastly.

Somehow, Song Nian’s heart pounded like a drum, almost unable to suppress its wild beating.

And nearly let his flickering eyes betray this inexplicable throb.

The car sped through streets lined with withered leaves and bare branches, but in a corner of the flowerbed, a subtle fragrance quietly broke through the soil, ready to bloom.

——

Come nightfall, Song Nian felt his heart still hadn’t calmed down.

“You just need to pursue your dreams; leave the rest to me.”

Those deep, magnetic tones echoed in his ears, like a recording on repeat in his mind, refusing to fade, stirring his heart, giving him no peace.

And stirring the night into ripples of restlessness.

Song Nian, who usually slept well, had a sleepless night for the first time ever.

He tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Every time he thought of what Li Yanchuan had done for him during this storm, his heart raced uncontrollably, refusing to calm.

Was it because he was so reliable?

Or was it something else?

Song Nian couldn’t figure it out; only Li Yanchuan’s face and voice lingered in his mind.

Companionship is strange—it can make someone you once disliked become close, and it can slowly bring two distant hearts together.

Now, Li Yanchuan remembered his preferences, was willing to compromise during conflicts, and always stayed by his side when he was down.

Those sharp, cold features always softened into a gentle smile when facing him;

Those wide, cold hands would tenderly stroke his face and the back of his hand;

The more he thought, the more his mind ran wild. If he touched elsewhere...

He couldn’t control the messy thoughts in his head, and his face grew hot, burying his head under the blanket like an ostrich.

After a while, feeling suffocated, he poked his red face out from the cocoon-like blanket.

It was red—abnormally red.

Realizing his body's arousal, a moment of panic flashed through Song Nian's mind.

—He was actually thinking about Li Yanchuan...

After waiting a while with no luck calming down, he sighed helplessly, keeping that position, and resignedly reached down between his legs.

At the same time, this scene met the eyes of Li Yanchuan on the other side of the screen.

When he realized what the person in bed was doing, the usually composed Li Yanchuan's breath caught.

Heat surged to his cheeks, stirring the same heat; he instinctively covered his mouth, turning his gaze aside, but slowly, guiltily, he glanced back from the corner of his eye at the screen.

Whether it was the flushed face or the low gasps, all were so clearly captured by the camera, flooding into his mind.

As if infected, Li Yanchuan felt a strange sensation rise in his heart.

He looked down, and the same reaction; his face heated up again. Even with his hand half-covering his face, the heat in his eyes was hard to suppress.

After pressing his lips together in thought for a moment, he let out a long sigh, and just like the other man, he reached out clumsily to relieve himself.

If only he could do this together with him...

At the climax, their minds simultaneously conjured up each other's faces.

Low sighs echoed simultaneously in different rooms.

The musky scent of release spread in the air, and at that moment, the thick, silver moonlight emerged from behind the dark clouds, spilling into the rooms.

Illuminating the hazy intimacy of both rooms, and the passion stirring in their eyes.

——

As the production officially announced the cast, news of Qin Xiao playing the male lead and Song Nian playing the second male lead sparked fresh discussion, followed by news of Song Nian's contract termination and signing with CanYu, which caused a buzz.

Deaf to the outside noise, he focused on honing his acting skills and finally welcomed the start of filming.

Unlike the previous shooting, this time the production was filming in the neighboring city.

It was yet another closed set, which meant the two would be separated for a full three months.

Before leaving, Song Nian kept glancing back over his shoulder, reluctant to part with Li Yanchuan, as he rattled off a string of warnings:

"While I'm away, you must eat well, don't spend all your time at work, and make sure to do your rehabilitation on time. Grandpa and the others will come keep you company often. Remember to call me when you miss me—"

Before he could finish, Li Yanchuan interrupted with a smile, reminding him that if he didn't leave soon, he'd miss his flight.

After Song Nian, still glancing back every few steps, finally left, the doctor behind hesitated before stepping forward:

"Chairman Li, don't you plan on telling Mr. Song that you can now stand with assistance?"