“Let’s go, it’s time to head back,” Gu Xiaowei said as he left the railing and walked towards their bicycles.

“Do you think we’ll get photographed when we go back?” Luo Yu asked.

Those paparazzi must be waiting outside the hotel. They missed photos of their departure, so they’d definitely want to capture them returning together.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Let them take pictures if they want,” Gu Xiaowei said, his foot tapping the ground, “We can pull the curtains open and stand by the window for them to take pictures. Afterward, they can go home and rest early.”

“Haha, I can’t even imagine that scene. Doesn’t it sound like royalty, standing on the terrace for the media to take pictures?”

Gu Xiaowei’s lips curled into a smile, seemingly in a good mood due to Luo Yu’s joke.

But when Luo Yu looked closely, his smile had already faded, a fleeting moment indeed.

Back at the hotel, Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu didn’t care about how many photos the paparazzi took. They hurried to their room to freshen up.

Luo Yu fell into bed and was asleep in three seconds.

The next morning, yawning, Luo Yu sat in the back seat of Sister Cui’s car with Gu Xiaowei.

“What did you two do last night?” Sister Cui turned around to look at them.

“Nothing much, Gu Xiaowei helped me film a video, which we’ll release when the fans hit five million.”

Sister Cui patted her chest. “Good, good. The photos of you two returning to the hotel last night have been posted online. They say you left and returned together on bicycles, and there are a lot of speculations about what you two were doing.”

“Oh, what are people guessing we were doing?” Luo Yu asked with interest.

“If you were with someone else, like Liu Songtao, people would think you went for a health treatment. If it was with Jiang Muxing, they’d assume you went to a KTV. But with Gu Xiaowei… the most commented speculation is that you two went cycling.”

Luo Yu felt disappointed. “Really? Shouldn’t the speculation be that we went somewhere on a bicycle to do something?”

“But it’s Gu Xiaowei, the disciplined Gu Xiaowei. Could it be that you two were cycling to eat late-night snacks?”

“We already had hot pot; we couldn’t eat more.”

“Exactly. Or were you two cycling out on a date?”

Luo Yu laughed. “Yes, we were cycling, enjoying the river breeze, out on a date! If only the civil affairs bureau were open late at night, we could even get our marriage certificates!”

Sister Cui saw Gu Xiaowei pulling out his phone and quickly said, “Look at you, speaking so freely. Gu Xiaowei will have to clarify things online quickly.”

“I’m just shopping online,” Gu Xiaowei said, raising his eyes.

“Shopping for what?”

“You wanted to get a certificate, right? I’m buying two online. Next time we get photographed, we can show the certificate to the netizens and make them stop guessing,” Gu Xiaowei said.

“What certificate?” Luo Yu leaned over, and Gu Xiaowei generously turned his phone screen for him to see.

It showed the bold red words—”Good Buddy Certificate.”

Luo Yu paused. “Does Cheng Fei also have this certificate?”

“He wanted to give me one, but I didn’t accept.”

Luo Yu snickered inwardly, no wonder Cheng Fei had such a sour attitude when he first met him on the set.

Sister Cui dropped Gu Xiaowei off at the entrance of his upscale residential area. She could only drop him off at the gate.

As he was leaving, Gu Xiaowei knocked on Luo Yu’s window. “See you on the set.”

Hearing these words, Luo Yu felt a particularly special emotion.

In his previous life, Gu Xiaowei had been so immersed in his role as Lu Pingfeng that he had to take two years off to recuperate.

If Luo Yu had one wish in his new life, it wouldn’t be to defeat He Mu or Ou Juntao but to accompany Gu Xiaowei through this journey and smoothly transition to another stage of life.

“See you on the set,” Luo Yu said softly, watching Gu Xiaowei’s back as he pushed his suitcase along.

In the next two days, Luo Yu’s days became a bit busy, but the busy schedule didn’t quite feel like serious work.

For instance, Pinnacle Sports had already indicated to Sister Cui that there was a 70% chance they wouldn’t renew the contract with He Mu, and that the next spokesperson would be Luo Yu. Sister Cui was much more cautious than before. She knew that with He Mu’s team’s handling style, the announcement of not renewing the contract would definitely come from He Mu’s side. Pinnacle Sports needed to be strategic, not leaking any intention of signing with Luo Yu, and avoiding provoking He Mu’s fans into a conflict. Sister Cui thought that first, they should use “Burn, Little Cosmos” to warm up, making everyone feel that Luo Yu was more suitable for Pinnacle Sports, and then officially announce after “Counterattack” aired. This way, they could effectively buffer the attacks from He Mu’s fans.

This idea resonated with Pinnacle Sports, and both sides were already in preliminary discussions about the contract details.

Another thing was that Sister Cui took Luo Yu to the studio apartment she rented for him, which was a duplex structure.

Luo Yu followed Sister Cui, feeling like Liu Laolao visiting the Grand View Garden. What made him shy was that the background wall in the studio apartment was adorned with large, high-definition stills of Bai Ying, with every strand of hair depicted in a flowing and beautiful manner.

That wasn’t all; as they walked further, the wall was covered with an oversized grid of the photos Gu Xiaowei took for him as well. Sister Cui specially explained that she had obtained Gu Xiaowei’s consent for these photos.

Luo Yu’s ears turned red, feeling as though the whole world was filled with himself.

The first floor was an activity area with a large sofa where he could lie down, watch videos, and play games lazily. Besides the activity area, there was also a walk-in closet.

Luo Yu opened the door and found rows of cabinets. He pointed inside and said, “Having so many cabinets… isn’t it a bit wasteful?”

“Not at all. With ‘Counterattack’ about to air, believe it or not, your business activities will increase. Even if there aren’t business activities, you’ll need to cooperate with basic interviews and drama promotions. Do you plan to continue wearing white T-shirts and linen casual pants?”

“I don’t have the money to fill them all up.” Luo Yu casually opened one of the cabinets and then froze.

Inside were rows of formal attire, ranging from silver-gray to pure black, with varying materials and styles. Although Luo Yu believed that he wouldn’t be able to distinguish them all when taken out.

“These were prepared for you by President Jiang.”

“So many? Even if I went on a blind date every day, I wouldn’t be able to wear them all in a week, right?”

“President Jiang means that for formal occasions, it’s better to have your own clothes rather than borrowing them last minute and scrambling to find the right style. As for other wardrobes, your stylist can help you shop when they arrive. But I think… Teacher Gu’s taste suits you best. The clothes he picked last time were impeccable in terms of style,” Sister Cui said with admiration.

“He… indeed has much better taste than I do.”

Sister Cui then took Luo Yu to the second floor, which had a spare bedroom for the team to rest, an office with a small conference table, and even a projector for PPT presentations. Everything was well-organized.

Looking at the empty table, Luo Yu really felt the need to recruit a team.

“There are two makeup artists coming for interviews today,” Sister Cui said, pulling out a chair at the main seat. “I understand your personality. You’re not used to having assistants around, which makes you uncomfortable. But a makeup artist is necessary. When you’re in ‘Beast and Rose,’ you’ll need touch-ups at all times. Do you plan to use Gu Xiaowei’s makeup artist?”

“Wait! What about Xiao Yezi? Can’t he stay with me?” Luo Yu appreciated Ye Shengyi’s skills, and he was also Brother Yan’s apprentice.

“Xiao Yezi has already found a job. Brother Yan introduced him to Ai Cheng as an assistant makeup artist,” Sister Cui said with resignation. “Before, Xiao Yezi wanted to follow you, but at that time, you were about to terminate the contract with Bo Wenyuan, and you were worried you wouldn’t be able to pay him. Now he has a good place to go. I didn’t have the heart to poach him. If Xiao Yezi agreed, it would offend Ai Cheng, and if he didn’t, it would be a disappointment to you. I didn’t want to put him in a difficult position.”

“Oh…” Luo Yu felt disappointed instantly.

The two makeup artists who came for the interview today didn’t quite meet Luo Yu’s satisfaction.

One had a makeup style that was too heavy, which highlighted Luo Yu’s facial features but appeared tacky up close.

The other was good at fashionable styles, making Luo Yu’s face more recognizable, suitable for magazines but not for film shoots.

Luo Yu took photos of both styles, intending to send them to his friend group, but thinking about Cheng Fei’s straight male taste, he decided to send them to someone with better taste who could provide a tactful response.

Half a minute later, the phone buzzed twice. Luo Yu opened it to find that Gu Xiaowei’s comments were indeed tactful and concise.

[……]

Luo Yu: [Teacher Gu, even if you send an emoji, it’s fine.]

In “Beast and Rose,” Gu Xiaowei played a great painter and was currently learning the basics of oil painting in a studio.

Xiao Qin sat next to him, bored, scrolling through her phone, when she suddenly heard Gu Xiaowei speak after being quiet for a while.

“Is there an emoji that can express ‘none of these look good’?”

Xiao Qin paused and asked seriously, “Brother Gu, is the emoji for a buddy or a female friend?”

“What’s the difference?”

“If it’s for Brother Cheng, he might just reply, ‘Get lost! You look the best in the whole wide world.’ But if it’s for a girl, like Miss Xie Chang, she might not block you because you’re handsome, but she’ll definitely give you an eye roll.”

“It’s not a girl, but I don’t want to receive an eye roll from the other person,” Gu Xiaowei said.

“Then just say ‘none of these look good, but you look the best,’” Xiao Qin suggested. “It’s not Brother Cheng, right? If it were straight guy Brother Cheng, he would definitely laugh.”

Gu Xiaowei calmly lowered his head and sent a simple and direct message: [Change the makeup artist.]

Luo Yu received the message and smiled knowingly: [As expected, Gu Xiaowei doesn’t send emojis.]

Sister Cui knew Luo Yu wouldn’t be satisfied, so after sending off the two interviewees, she made coffee, and the two sat at the table, silent for about three minutes.

“Why don’t you poach him?” Sister Cui suggested.

Luo Yu raised his eyebrows, “Aren’t you afraid of offending Ai Cheng?”

“You’re a male actor, and Ai Cheng is a female singer. There’s no competition between you. Even if you offend her… the harm should be minimal. Besides, given your nature, you’ll feel awkward with unfamiliar people around you. Xiao Yezi’s skills and style still suit you best.”

Sister Cui’s actual thought was that if it did offend, Jiang Yinchuan would handle it.

What’s a boss for? To take the heat!

“Well… I’ll give it a try.”

Luo Yu lowered his head and opened Ye Shengyi’s Moments, originally intending to check his recent activities, but found that he hadn’t posted for over a month.

Luo Yu frowned, “Ai Cheng must have many activities, right?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Then… why hasn’t Xiao Yezi posted any Moments about Ai Cheng’s activities?”

Even if he couldn’t post pictures of Ai Cheng, he could share what he ate, saw, and the fan situation on-site.

This kid used to be impatient if he didn’t post on his social media for a day.

When Luo Yu mentioned it, Sister Cui also felt it was odd, “Hey, yeah. What happened to him? It doesn’t seem like him?”

Luo Yu wasn’t sure if Ye Shengyi was busy with work, so he sent a WeChat message: [Xiao Yezi, are you busy lately? I want to invite you to dinner and talk about something.]

But there was no response. Luo Yu searched online for Ai Cheng’s recent schedule; she should be attending a high-end jewelry launch today.

“Maybe today isn’t the right time. Xiao Yezi should be busy.”

But unexpectedly, Ye Shengyi sent a voice message, sounding like he was in a bathroom with a bit of echo: [Ahhh, Brother Luo, you finally contacted me! I’d love to have dinner with you! Even if you don’t treat me, just seeing your handsome face would make me eat three more bowls of rice!]

Luo Yu: [How about tonight? Are you attending the high-end jewelry event with Ai Cheng?]

Ye Shengyi: [Yes! My event ends at ten tonight. Will it be too late? But if we arrange it after, I’m afraid I’ll be resting, and you’ll go to the ‘Beast and Rose’ set!]

Luo Yu: [Then tonight it is. I’ll pick you up after work. Let’s go for a late-night snack.]

Ye Shengyi: [Sure! Sure! Brother Luo, they’re calling me. I need to go over!]

Although only a few words were exchanged, Luo Yu could sense that Ye Shengyi was very eager to meet him.

That evening, Luo Yu spent the time at home waiting by watching documentaries about forensic science.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Sister Cui had checked with the crew, and before the official shooting starts, Luo Yu would undergo two weeks of forensic training. In the meantime, Luo Yu wanted to learn as much as possible about the professional aspects of the character Wen Yuchi.

After watching episode after episode of the documentary, Luo Yu picked up his phone and checked the time—it was almost eleven at night. Was Ye Shengyi’s work still not finished?

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“Okay.” Gu Xiaowei nodded.

The private room fell silent for a full three seconds.

“Is this considered a crazily indulgent affection?” Li Shengyu said with a face full of doubt, as if he thought his ears were malfunctioning.

Luo Yu laughed, “How is this related to indulgence?”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Li Shengyu answered solemnly, “I would only let my girlfriend on my van!”

Luo Yu’s eyes lit up, “Oh, Li Shengyu—so you have a girlfriend!”

As expected, the topic veered off course and shifted to a thorough interrogation of Li Shengyu. However, Li Shengyu was as tight-lipped as ever, even after three bottles of beer, he wouldn’t reveal who his girlfriend was.

The gathering that evening was very enjoyable for everyone, and Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing both added Gu Xiaowei on WeChat.

Jiang Muxing repeatedly confirmed that Gu Xiaowei was on his friend list. When Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei got into the car, Gu Xiaowei’s phone buzzed. He checked to find it was a sticker from Jiang Muxing, a small rabbit peeking through a door crack.

“What does it mean when he sends me this sticker?” Gu Xiaowei frowned and studied it seriously.

Luo Yu smiled, “He probably wants to know whether you added him out of courtesy or if you genuinely plan to talk to him.”

“I see.” Gu Xiaowei finally relaxed his frown and replied with a cute bunny sticker.

“I can imagine Jiang Muxing should be spinning around with his phone in hand right now,” Luo Yu glanced out the window and then quietly said, “Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me?”

“Because I know you’re not really into social gatherings. You came to have hotpot with us, listen to Li Shengyu talk about filming, and chat with Jiang Muxing about music, all because they’re my friends.”

Gu Xiaowei said, “I’m not that pretentious, nor am I socially awkward. I just trust your judgment in friends.”

“Trusting my judgment in friends?” Luo Yu smiled self-deprecatingly, “You must have forgotten about Bo Wenyuan, right?”

“I also thank him for teaching you the skill of identifying scumbags.”

The car arrived back at the hotel. After eating and drinking so contentedly, Luo Yu stretched and said, “I’m a bit full. I want to go out for some exercise.”

“Sure, let’s go together.”

Luo Yu checked the time. It was 10:30 PM, and there were still some pedestrians outside. Moreover, he noticed there seemed to be paparazzi waiting outside when the car returned.

But knowing Gu Xiaowei, he wouldn’t care about that.

Walking or shopping at night is a perfectly normal activity, so there’s no fear of being seen.

“I feel that after this variety show airs, your fan count should break five million. Don’t you need to record a VLOG to thank them?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“Did you record one when your fans broke ten million?”

“I don’t remember.”

Luo Yu laughed out loud; that response was very much like Gu Xiaowei.

“You don’t even remember whether you did it, yet you ask me to?”

But Luo Yu thought for a moment and said, “I could do one. Otherwise, if my fan count really breaks five million, Sister Cui might organize something bigger, making me embarrassed.”

“Recording one at night might not show your face clearly, but the blur effect can be good. Just like your previous street lamp selfie.”

“Wait a moment, I’ll wash my face. Even if it’s blurry, I can’t have an oily face,” Luo Yu went into the bathroom, thoroughly cleaned himself, and then suddenly remembered something. He stuck his head out and asked, “You saw my street lamp selfie?”

“En.”

“Back then, we hadn’t followed each other on Weibo, right?” Luo Yu asked again.

“After we followed each other, I looked back.”

Luo Yu felt a bit guilty. After he followed Gu Xiaowei, he didn’t go back through his photos or anything, which made it seem like he didn’t care much about Gu Xiaowei.

Who knew Gu Xiaowei seemed to read his thoughts and teased, “Are you thinking that you never went back through my Weibo, worried I’d find out you don’t care much about me, and now you’re trying to make up for it?”

Luo Yu chuckled, “How could that be… I actually don’t use Weibo much.”

After drying his face, Luo Yu silently decided to go through Gu Xiaowei’s Weibo history once he got back.

“But my Weibo isn’t very interesting. Most of it is posted by my agent.”

Luo Yu came out and changed into a T-shirt. “Posted by your agent? But didn’t you help me a few times? And posting my pictures last time?”

“The photography works were posted by me.”

Luo Yu said enviously, “Your agent is really good. They’re so indulgent with you.”

Other agents typically don’t forward things unrelated to their artists, but Gu Xiaowei’s agent not only didn’t restrict him but also forwarded things for him.

“Sister Cui is also very indulgent with you,” Gu Xiaowei said.

“That’s different. There’s an understanding between Sister Cui and me about what can and can’t be posted.”

Who knew Gu Xiaowei’s lips curled up slightly, “Are you sure? Didn’t Sister Cui teach you to edit photos before posting them?”

“This…”

“But you don’t need to edit. Your candid photos are already quite good.”

After Gu Xiaowei said this, he walked towards the door.

They took the elevator down, walked out of the hotel, and Gu Xiaowei gestured at the public bikes. They scanned the code and rode off.

Luo Yu looked back curiously and saw that three or four people had stood up, their surprised expressions still visible. After waiting so long at the hotel entrance, the target had ridden away on a bike?

The problem was if they also followed on bikes, they’d be too conspicuous. If they went back to the car or hailed a taxi to follow, they wouldn’t be able to catch up now.

Both Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu had long legs, and they rode swiftly, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.

“Where are we going?” Luo Yu asked Gu Xiaowei.

Since leaving school, he hadn’t ridden a bike in a long time.

He smiled, and the night wind seemed to be pulled long and far by an invisible force, the streetlights casting fleeting lights over his brows, and the light in his eyes and smile on his lips became all that the night was.

“To a place that’s less crowded and more open,” Gu Xiaowei replied.

“Haha, good thing I’m not a girl; otherwise, I’d be suspicious you have other intentions,” Luo Yu said as he rode, glancing at Gu Xiaowei. “On the way back from the mountain mushroom hotpot restaurant, I saw a viewing platform by the river. It’s open. Just don’t know if there will still be people walking there at this hour. It should take about twenty to thirty minutes to ride there—perfect for digesting!”

“Have you thought about what to record?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“Well… I don’t seem to have any particular talents. Singing, dancing, performing comedy—none of them are impressive,” Luo Yu scratched the back of his head.

Gu Xiaowei smiled helplessly, “Are you sure?”

“My talent is carrying you—want me to carry you again?”

Luo Yu looked over, his eyes full of laughter, bright as if someone had scattered a handful of glittering diamonds in his eyes.

They passed by a night market, with stalls lined up on the roadside, the smell of barbecue and fried skewers wafting through the air.

There were also some small vendors with stalls on tricycles.

One stall had various glowing toys, small cars, and piggy banks made from beads. Whenever a child passed by, they’d rush to that stall.

Luo Yu’s feet tapped the ground as he navigated through the crowd. He suddenly noticed Gu Xiaowei was missing, stopped, and looked around. He hesitated to call out “Gu Xiaowei” loudly, as even if people in this street weren’t fans, they’d probably still recognize him.

“Where did he go?”

Luo Yu pushed his bike to the side of the road and called Gu Xiaowei’s phone.

“Classmate, where are you?”

“I’m next to the tricycle selling glowing balloons.”

Luo Yu tilted his head and found the toy stall. Gu Xiaowei, wearing a mask, was discussing something with the stall owner.

“Hey, Gu Xiaowei, what are you looking at? Senior Brother will buy it for you?” Luo Yu approached and threw an arm around Gu Xiaowei’s shoulder.

Surrounded by children clamoring for balloons, Gu Xiaowei leaned towards Luo Yu and said in his ear, “Guess.”

The breathed word was very light, containing a hint of a smile, tickling Luo Yu’s ear.

“Guess? Glowing balloons?” Luo Yu raised his eyebrows.

“Why glowing balloons?”

“Because… I just feel like you’d like bright things.”

Gu Xiaowei chuckled softly and pointed to a toy sword in the tricycle stall, saying, “But I want that.”

“You want this?” Luo Yu picked up the toy sword in surprise and waved it around.

It was very light, with a plastic sheath and hilt. Luo Yu drew the sword, and the blade appeared to have a metallic sheen but was quite soft. It was likely designed to prevent injuries if children played with it, so it would bend upon contact with anything.

“I remember you’ve done some wuxia films. Haven’t you had enough of swordplay?” Luo Yu asked with a smile.

“I want to see you perform,” Gu Xiaowei said.

“Me? You mean when we record the video later using this?”

“Yes,” Gu Xiaowei nodded.

Under the colorful lights, Gu Xiaowei’s profile had a rugged yet inscrutable outline, with a childlike clarity that seemed to see through everything, but also a restraint that hid all emotions deeply.

“I’ve already said… I’ve almost returned everything I learned to my former teacher.” Luo Yu felt a pang of guilt about this.

“Then don’t lose what’s left. Let me see,” Gu Xiaowei said.

Luo Yu paused for two seconds, suddenly finding the phrase “don’t lose what’s left” very precious. 

Since Gu Xiaowei wanted to see, then he would show him everything.

The sword only cost eight yuan, and it came with a strap on the sheath. Luo Yu initially wanted to sling it on his back, but unfortunately, since it was meant for children, the strap was too short. He could only hang it on his shoulder.

The two of them got on their bicycles and set off again.

Away from the noisy night market streets, they rode along the riverside boulevard. By nearly eleven at night, they finally arrived at the observation deck that Luo Yu had mentioned.

The river breeze blew gently, and there were no pedestrians around at this time. Only the lonely streetlights illuminated the platform, and the distant, dim river.

Luo Yu stood in the center of the observation deck, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I’m asking, do you really want to see me perform with the sword? It’s a bit awkward. Should I go back and prepare, practice for a week or two, and maybe set it to music…?”

“Do you remember the sword dance you performed during the school anniversary in your junior year?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“Don’t tell me… you were watching from the audience at that time?” Luo Yu asked.

“Of course. Everyone around me was gasping. When you leaped with the sword, it seemed like you would stay suspended in the air forever.”

“Ah, my old teacher also said that my airtime was very long.” Luo Yu lowered his eyes, feeling a bit sad as he recalled his martial arts teacher.

“Don’t think about those predefined moves. Didn’t you like martial arts back then? If you still like it now, just think of it as playing a piece of ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ on the piano. Not every martial artist can become a champion in the end.”

Gu Xiaowei had a calm demeanor, as if he was waiting for something or protecting something.

And under his gaze, all of Luo Yu’s past frustrations and disappointments faded into calm, and what remained was the passion hidden deep in his heart.

“Alright, you need to record it well today, because regardless of whether this video gets seen by many people online or not, tonight you are my only audience.”

Luo Yu smiled as he stepped back, rotating his wrists and stretching his legs. He then took down the toy sword from his shoulder.

A faint smile appeared on Gu Xiaowei’s lips as he leaned back against the observation deck railing. The river breeze lifted his hair as he watched Luo Yu.

At that moment, Luo Yu felt as if he had returned to his previous life, seeing Gu Xiaowei still practicing on stage just before he was about to leave the theater.

The prelude of “Floating Clouds and Flying Steps” began, with the pipa’s layered and resonant tones followed by the guzheng’s sound, like a waterfall cascading down.

Luo Yu had long forgotten the specific moves he performed back then. He moved spontaneously, making the sword whistle and clang.

His movements were elegant and vigorous, the swordplay precise and profound. His steps were measured, and when he leaped, his back arched like a bow, reaching towards the sky. The sword flourishes were graceful, as if releasing the wildness hidden in his bones.

Despite being on an observation deck, the performance gave a sense of vastness.

As the sword dance came to an end, Luo Yu’s movements combined softness with strength, as if he had sheathed all the wind, frost, and snow.

“As expected… if you don’t practice, you can’t do it. Many of my moves are no longer performable,” Luo Yu sighed regretfully.

“But there’s no rule on how you should perform swordplay, nor any requirement for how one move should connect to the next. It’s all based on your preference, performing freely as you like. Isn’t that good?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

Luo Yu adjusted his breathing and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Yes, I feel very refreshed!”

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“Among the performances during the school anniversary, your sword dance is the only one I want to watch countless times,” Gu Xiaowei said.

If the heartstrings really existed, Luo Yu suspected they were held by Gu Xiaowei’s fingers, plucked to the extreme and then suddenly released.

“Thank you,” Luo Yu said.

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“Hey, Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing said they’re going for mushroom hot pot! Want to join us?” Luo Yu lowered his body slightly to speak to Gu Xiaowei.

Gu Xiaowei looked up with a hint of an elusive smile, “They are your friends now, aren’t they?”

“Yes. This is probably the biggest gain from participating in this show,” Luo Yu said with a smile.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

In his previous life, he was truly alone in the entertainment industry, except for Sister Cui, no one cared about him. Friends were something he only made after transitioning to stage plays.

Now, Luo Yu no longer needed to worry about not being able to gather enough people for a game of cards.

On the side, Han Yang watched Luo Yu and found him quite special.

When he swiftly and decisively took the flag behind He Mu, there was no hesitation. When he rode the horse towards the finish line, his figure seemed rare and carefree. Yet when he reached the finish line and looked at his teammates, he smiled so openly, as if he was not driven by a desire to win or lose but was simply sharing joy.

He had the strength of a man, yet didn’t completely shed the purity of youth.

“Sister Cui just received a call from Director Sheng,” Gu Xiaowei said, watching Luo Yu. But Luo Yu didn’t show any anxiety or nervousness; he just lifted his helmet.

“The role should be mine.”

“Oh, you weren’t so confident before,” Gu Xiaowei said, holding the railing with one hand and pulling his reins down with the other, leaning closer.

“I could tell from your expression—if we can’t work together, you’ll surely feel disappointed,” Luo Yu said with a bright smile.

Han Yang approached Sister Cui, “Congratulations on landing such a good role.”

“Thank you,” Sister Cui didn’t expect him to offer congratulations. “I also hope Mr. Han can pay more attention to Luo Yu’s performance and give us a chance to collaborate.”

Finally saying the request for collaboration, Sister Cui felt confident, whereas she previously felt timid.

She had learned a lot from being beside Gu Xiaowei, such as keeping Luo Yu’s memorable moments ready in the phone, setting the stage before discussing collaboration to show Luo Yu’s unique value, and maintaining calm and confidence to keep the other party engaged.

“Of course. I have a drama in pre-production and hope to start shooting in the second quarter. There’s a role that fits Luo Yu well. If ‘Beast and Rose’ finishes shooting by then, he’s welcome to audition.”

Sister Cui seized the opportunity, “Then Mr. Han, could we exchange contact information?”

Typically, a producer like Han Yang would ask an assistant to handle it, but unexpectedly, Han Yang took out his phone and opened the WeChat QR code, “This is my work WeChat. I might not be online during holidays and breaks.”

Sister Cui quickly scanned the code and added Han Yang, her face showing disbelief.

Han Yang nodded towards Gu Xiaowei as a farewell gesture and then turned to leave.

Sister Cui came back to her senses and said regretfully, “I should have asked you to greet Mr. Han. Just letting him go like that seemed impolite.”

Luo Yu asked, “Who was that CEO just now?”

“Han Yang, the producer from K Station,” Gu Xiaowei said.

Luo Yu touched his nose, with a smirk looking at Sister Cui, “Sister Cui, not only is Mr. Han handsome, but he also has a lot of grace, right?”

Sister Cui’s eyes were fixed on Han Yang’s WeChat profile picture, which was of a Ragdoll cat. She felt that this cat was more noble and luxurious than anything on earth, “As long as he can get you a role, even if I have to praise him as being more handsome than Teacher Gu, I could write a hundred thousand words of praise!”

Gu Xiaowei’s brows furrowed slightly, a small movement that Luo Yu caught.

He poked Gu Xiaowei’s forehead, “Teacher Gu, there’s no need for a competitive spirit here.”

Gu Xiaowei lifted his chin and grabbed Luo Yu’s hand, completely unguarded.

Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing waved at Luo Yu, “We’re leaving—going back to change clothes and remove makeup—”

Luo Yu pulled on the reins, changed direction, and trotted towards them: “Coming!”

The news that he had secured the role of Wen Yuchi quickly spread through the production team.

Xu Mu smiled with his eyes squinted into slits, secretly delighted at the huge profits.

When the cast of “Beast and Rose” was announced, it happened to coincide with the airing of their show, providing free publicity!

“Luo Yu is one of the rare actors who has participated in the works of directors Lin Yue, Xu Han, and Sheng Yunlan, isn’t he?”

The assistant director’s reminder made Xu Mu feel that there was another angle for program promotion.

“As long as he doesn’t collapse or falter, no one can stop him from becoming popular,” the cameraman commented.

Although they had only interacted for two days, Xu Mu had gained some understanding of Luo Yu’s personality.

He had a sense of propriety, wasn’t blindly pursuing fame and fortune, and wouldn’t give up opportunities to showcase himself for the sake of being low-key.

“A person like him… it’s probably not easy to find something that could hold him accountable for a principled mistake.”

Especially for someone who has just emerged from a low point, they would cherish their feathers even more.

With some people rejoicing, there are bound to be others who are sorrowful.

He Mu’s agent had just received a call confirming that He Mu had not secured the role of Wen Yuchi.

“If you don’t mind, can I ask who eventually got the role of Wen Yuchi?”

“For specific results, please follow the official Weibo.”

After the call ended, He Mu’s agent heard the crew members chatting.

“Just now, Luo Yu’s agent went away from the crowd to take a call. It seemed like Luo Yu got a role. She kept saying thank you and almost cried!”

“Luo Yu is quite good. Among the guests on this episode, I have the best impression of him. No matter what role he gets, I really hope he becomes popular.”

Hearing this, He Mu’s agent’s heart sank. The phone call notification was likely about the casting results for “Beast and Rose.”

“Oh! I also saw that Producer Han added his agent on WeChat!”

“Really? That’s great! Producer Han’s TV dramas are a quality benchmark in the industry! I’d really like to see Luo Yu in one of Producer Han’s dramas!”

“I’d like to see it too! If his drama can be on K Station, I’d be willing to recharge for three years immediately!”

Hearing this, He Mu’s agent suddenly envied Cui Zhuxin greatly.

When he got to the van, he saw He Mu’s face turning pale, obviously having found out as well.

—What else could be done? Just endure it!

Their vehicle drove away, brushing past Li Shengyu’s van, and voices from inside the van were audible even from inside.

“Luo Yu—congratulations! You’ve fought your way through and are going to the big screen!”

“Brother Luo, I declare you as my idol!”

He Mu said coldly, “Didn’t Chairman Ou say he would try his best to get the role of Wen Yuchi for me? Why did it end up with Luo Yu?”

“Am I spoiling you too much?” the agent suddenly spoke up.

He Mu was stunned, “What…what are you saying?”

“Do you think you can get anything you want, that the world only has Dijun Media, and that you should be invincible in the industry?”

“I…I didn’t think that way.” He Mu didn’t expect his agent to suddenly say these things and was completely bewildered.

In the past, his agent would comfort him, persuade him, but this time his tone was very sharp.

“He Mu, actually, since Luo Yu successfully auditioned for Bai Ying, I’ve wanted to tell you—be mentally prepared. The roles you want will often be taken by him. Even if you hire internet trolls to flood social media, they won’t overturn Luo Yu. You’ll increasingly be compared to him, and the harm you inflicted on Luo Yu in the past will come back to you in the same way,” the agent said.

At that moment, He Mu felt an inexplicable fear.

He remembered the scathing attacks by internet trolls on Luo Yu, and how his numerous fans had drowned Luo Yu out.

If one day, Luo Yu also had fan appeal like him, how would he retaliate?

At this moment, Luo Yu was happily dining with Li Shengyu and the others.

The mountain mushroom hotpot restaurant was not large but was very popular. Fortunately, Li Shengyu’s assistant had reserved a private room in advance, and they entered through the back door, avoiding attention.

After they sat down, Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing appeared a bit nervous.

Luo Yu and Sister Cui were already so hungry that their stomachs were flattened, showing no pretensions, and immediately began ordering dishes with the iPad.

“Five plates of beef! Five plates of lamb!” Luo Yu’s fingers were tapping rapidly on the screen.

“Duck blood! Also beef tripe, yellow throat! My favorites!” Sister Cui’s face was almost pressed against the screen.

Jiang Muxing reminded, “We’re here for mountain mushroom hotpot…”

“Oh! Right! How about a large mushroom platter? There are so many mushrooms here I’ve never heard of!” Luo Yu curiously examined the options.

Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing exchanged glances, wondering how Luo Yu managed to ignore Gu Xiaowei, who hadn’t spoken a word.

Jiang Muxing took a breath and smiled politely at Gu Xiaowei, “Hello, Teacher Gu, I really enjoy watching your dramas. You were really impressive in ‘Sunset Avenue’!”

Gu Xiaowei across the table slowly curved his lips. For the first time, Jiang Muxing had a concrete sense of what a “ice melting smile” looked like.

Gu Xiaowei mimicked Jiang Muxing’s tone, “Hello, Teacher Jiang. Your ‘Cloud God’ is also a must-listen track for me on my way to jobs. I also like ‘Night Dye’ and ‘Carved Beams and Painted Rafters’.”

Jiang Muxing’s eyes lit up, “You’ve heard my songs?”

“I’ve heard many of your songs. So, can we skip calling each other ‘Teacher’ now?”

Luo Yu also looked up and smiled, “Can you two stop the commercial flattery? Let’s hurry up and order.”

After a meal, Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing discovered that Gu Xiaowei was actually very easy to get along with, even though he wasn’t the life of the party, he could carry any topic and was good at listening, responding and keeping the conversation lively.

When Li Shengyu, who had a bit of a cleanliness obsession, used a spoon to scrape off some small black spots on the mushrooms, Gu Xiaowei wasn’t impatient at all, showing no resentment for the previous acting PK during the shooting of “Storm”.

This made Li Shengyu feel embarrassed, and he opened a bottle of beer, very seriously apologizing to Luo Yu again.

“Looking back now, I guess I was a bit envious of you,” Li Shengyu remarked.

“It’s my honor to be envied by you,” Luo Yu clinked beer bottles with him.

Li Shengyu smiled heartily, “Now I’m not envious at all. Your roles are always so captivating. I accept losing in that acting battle wholeheartedly.”

“You’ve been criticized online, and you still accept it?” Luo Yu asked with a smile.

“In our line of work, being criticized is common. If no one is criticizing you, it means you’ve hit rock bottom. You believe it or not, thanks to Brother Gu, we’ll get trending again for eating hotpot. Those who criticized me will probably be surprised—Li Shengyu and Luo Yu aren’t that antagonistic after all. They’re friends in the industry who can eat hotpot together!”

Being straightforward, the boys drank a few bottles of beer and spoke even more openly.

As they chatted, Li Shengyu and Jiang Muxing made strong suggestions to Luo Yu.

“I’m telling you, you must have an assistant! If you’re filming period dramas—wearing layer upon layer and walking around without an assistant, you’ll be exhausted,” Li Shengyu said.

“You also need a van. Otherwise, if you want to rest for a while, you’d have to set up a temporary stall and could accidentally get hit on the head by passing props,” Jiang Muxing, who had felt the importance of a van from participating in a few variety shows, added.

“A van, huh… I’ll consider it.”

“When you’re filming movies, won’t you need a quiet space to discuss scenes with Brother Gu? If you hit a snag, will you just sit in the set and self-breakthrough?” Li Shengyu said again.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Hey, you have a van, right?” Luo Yu looked at Gu Xiaowei, because he had never seen one on the set of “Counterattack.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then when we need a quiet space to rehearse, can’t I just go to your van?”

Luo Yu still hasn’t gotten over the shadow of drowning in a van from his past life.

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