Chapter 1 Ye Qingxi is dead

Chapter One:

Ye Qingxi sat at her computer desk, looking at the computer screen in front of her. An email was displayed on the screen:

Hello, Teacher Ye:

I am the director and screenwriter of the TV series "Winter Sun". I don't know if you will see this email. If you do, please read it. Thank you!

The script for "Winter Sun" is the most meaningful one I've written in the past three years, and also my personal favorite. I once thought that no one could play the lead role of Xiang Dong in this play, until I accidentally saw your wonderful performance in "Elegy". I was almost instantly certain that you were the only one who could capture the soul of Xiang Dong.

Several months ago, I sent the script and a letter of intent for the role to your parents, but received no response. I should have given up, but I really want to bring "Winter Sun" to the big screen, and if "Winter Sun" appears on the big screen, then Xiang Dong can only be you. Therefore, after some thought, I decided to take the liberty of sending you this email.

You can take a look at the script first. If you feel there's anything wrong with it and it needs revision, I can make changes for you. If you're willing to act in it, the entire crew will cooperate to the fullest extent. Except for the salary, which may not be comparable to big-budget films, I will do my best to meet your needs in everything else.

Please, please, please take a look at the script. I look forward to your reply.

Finally, I wish you good health and all the best, and I also wish you a better life and a more wonderful journey as you turn eighteen!

He Xiaomei

Ye Qingxi has already read the script for this play.

It must be said that it is very well written, and the author's sincere love for the characters is evident in every word.

Ye Qingxi hadn't even finished reading it yet, but she had already fallen in love with the character and the script that the screenwriter had put so much effort into creating.

He wanted to act in this movie, but...

"Did you even hear me? The offer for 'The Legend of Lancang' is 100 million! 100 million in salary!"

"So what? I've already talked to the producer of 'Xunfeng'. Besides, the salary for 'Xunfeng' is 70 million, which is almost 100 million."

"How can that be enough! Thirty million! Thirty million can buy me at least three handbags!"

"Then I'll buy it for you, okay? I already promised to buy 'The Wind Chaser,' so if I say no now, wouldn't that be a slap in my face?!"

"That's because they're not sincere enough. Xiao Xi is so famous. If they were really sincere, they should have given me 100 million yuan, just like with 'The Legend of Lancang'. They can't even come up with 100 million yuan, yet they want my son to act in their TV series? Dream on!"

"Anyway, I've already made it clear that Xiaoxi has to go to Xunfeng!"

"Don't even think about it, it's definitely 'The Legend of Lancang'."

"The Wind Patrol!"

"The Legend of Lancang!"

"I want to go to 'Winter Sun'." Ye Qingxi couldn't take it anymore, so she opened the door and looked at her parents arguing outside.

Ye's parents turned around in surprise and looked at him. "Xiao Xi, you're awake?"

"Mm." Ye Qingxi nodded.

He had been awake for a while, but he just didn't want to come out.

"Then come over here quickly and sign these photos. You don't know, your uncle's son Xuanxuan is so outspoken. He let it slip at school that you're his cousin. His classmates didn't believe him, and a few kids made a bet that if you really are Xuanxuan's brother, Xuanxuan will definitely get your autograph. If Xuanxuan gets it, he wins; if he doesn't, he loses. You know your uncle only has one child, and Xuanxuan cried at home and wouldn't eat, insisting on an autograph. Your uncle was so worried that he sent the photos over overnight. Just sign them for them."

"Your family always has so many problems," Mr. Ye snorted. "Why doesn't my sister's daughter, Tingting, have so many problems?"

Mother Ye sneered, "Of course your sister's Tingting doesn't have so many problems, because your sister does it for her herself. Whenever Xiaoxi endorses something, she comes over and asks for the same thing. One set isn't enough; she has to have a year's supply. How dare her daughter ask for it?"

“Those were given to me by the merchants. They’re just taking up space. I might as well give them to my sister.”

"How is it taking up space? Can't I sell it to someone else?"

"How much money can you make from that? It's better to give it to my sister!"

"You give everything to your sister, why don't you just give her the money directly!"

"Where is the letter of intent for 'Winter Sun'? I'd like to take a look," Ye Qingxi said calmly.

"What 'Winter Sun'?" Ye's mother looked at him, her face full of doubt.

"Director He Xiaomei sent you the script and contract before."

Ye's mother thought for a moment, but couldn't quite recall it. "I forgot."

But that's not important. "Mom has already chosen what your next project will be: 'The Legend of Lancang.' The director of this project is very talented. The ancient costume idol drama he directed before was a huge hit, so if you do this, you'll definitely become even more famous."

"You're kidding me! Lancang is the female lead in 'The Legend of Lancang.' Xiao Xi is so famous. You want him to play the male lead in a female-centric drama just for a hundred million? Aren't you being unfair to people?!"

“Xiao Xi,” Ye’s father looked at him, “Listen to your father, you still have to act in ‘Xun Feng’. You are the male lead in ‘Xun Feng’, and the whole play revolves around you. Isn’t that better than those female-centric dramas?”

"Come on," Ye's mother glanced at him sideways, "I don't even care to talk about the director of 'The Wind Chaser,' the first part only got a 3.4 rating on Huaban.com, what kind of good work can you make?"

"The Legend of Lancang has ten screenwriters! And Xiao Xi is only the second lead in the Legend of Lancang. Xiao Xi has won the Golden Rose Award for Best Actor, he's an award-winning actor. You're asking him to be the second lead for a nobody actress who's never acted in a movie before? How is he supposed to survive in the film industry after that?"

"What's so great about the movie industry? It doesn't even pay as much as the TV drama industry. I've long wanted to stop him from making movies. Besides, so what if he's the second lead? Money is what really matters. It's a hundred million! Even the lead actor's salary isn't as high as Xiao Xi's!"

Ye Qingxi listened quietly, feeling that familiar urge to vomit returning.

Ever since he was rescued after his suicide attempt and woke up in the hospital, hearing his parents arguing fiercely, feeling nauseous but unable to vomit, every time he hears his parents arguing like that, he feels the same urge to vomit.

Ye Qingxi knew that his mental health was not good; he might be sick, no, he should already be sick, but his parents didn't know, they didn't care, and Ye Qingxi himself didn't want to get treatment.

Therefore, he looks just like a normal person.

“I want to act in ‘Winter Sun’,” Ye Qingxi repeated. “I want to see the letter of intent for ‘Winter Sun’.”

"Who knows what the contract looks like?" Ye's mother said indifferently. "Besides, I've already said that your next project is already set, it's 'The Legend of Lancang'."

"It's 'The Wind Patrol'."

"The Legend of Lancang!"

"The Wind Patrol!"

Ye Qingxi: ...

Ye Qingxi turned around and walked towards the entrance.

Today is his birthday, his eighteenth birthday, but it's clear his parents don't care.

But it doesn't matter, Ye Qingxi thought. Once he turns eighteen, he will be an adult and won't need a guardian to make decisions. He can make his own decisions and do what he likes according to his own ideas.

But the next second, he suddenly realized that his parents were not only his parents, but also his agents.

So he still can't get around them; whatever movies he wants to film or whatever endorsements he wants to take, he still needs his parents' signatures.

Ye Qingxi felt nauseous again.

He opened his mouth, took a deep breath, and then slowly closed his mouth.

"Where are you going?" he heard his mother's voice. "You have a performance at your birthday party tonight, have you forgotten!"

Ye Qingxi hadn't forgotten, of course; he just wanted to temporarily leave this place that was making it hard for him to breathe.

“I’m going to buy a cake,” he replied. “I want to eat cake, have you bought any?”

Mother Ye: ...

Ye's mother naturally didn't buy any. She had so many things to do every day, how could she have time to worry about such a small thing as buying a cake?

She looked at her husband, who clearly didn't remember either.

"Oh, why don't we just let Xiao Wang go buy it?" Mr. Ye said dismissively.

"No need." Ye Qingxi knew they hadn't bought anything.

He was not disappointed; he had long since stopped being disappointed, much less feeling lost or upset.

"I'll go by myself."

Why do you insist on going by yourself?

Ye's mother didn't understand. In the past, when there was no money, she had to do everything herself. There was no other way.

Now that I have money, I should naturally let others do it so that I can have an easier time.

"Let Xiao Wang go. Perfect timing, you can sign that document."

Ye Qingxi didn't say anything, changed her shoes, and went out.

He didn't bring a driver, only wore a mask and a hat, and silently walked out of the villa area.

The sun wasn't very strong, and there was an occasional breeze that blew a few leaves down. Ye Qingxi saw a leaf land on her shoe.

It was clearly green, yet it had already lost its life.

Actually, it's good, Ye Qingxi thought. This way, it won't be exposed to the scorching sun or the wind and rain anymore.

He carefully picked up the leaf and put it in his pocket.

Ye Qingxi went to a cake shop that was very far away.

He didn't specifically go to this store; he only remembered that he was out buying a cake when he got to this street.

Today is his birthday, he should eat a piece of cake.

So he opened his phone and selected the nearest cake shop.

He hadn't made a reservation in advance, so he could only choose from the cakes that were already made in the store.

Ye Qingxi looked at the cake through the glass for a long time before finally choosing a mango cake.

He paid and took the cake.

As he was leaving, the shopkeeper looked at him and asked hesitantly, "Are you Ye Qingxi?"

Ye Qingxi didn't expect that even though he was all covered up, he would still be recognized.

He smiled, shook his head, and changed his voice to say to her, "No."

"Excuse me, I'm a fan of his. You two look so alike that when I saw your figure and appearance, I thought you were him, but your voices are quite different."

After saying that, the cake shop owner took out another mousse cake from the display case, put it in a box, and said, "This is for you. Today is his birthday. You and he look alike, and you just happened to come to buy a cake, so it's quite a coincidence."

Ye Qingxi looked at her with gentle eyes.

Many times, Ye Qingxi felt that the reason he was able to live until now and not commit suicide a second time after being rescued was because of these lovely fans.

People often criticize young men and women who idolize celebrities, thinking they are brainless, stupid, crazy, and ridiculous. But to him, they are like a ray of light.

Although occasionally this light would become unfamiliar to him, murky, oppressive, and suffocating, making it hard for him to breathe, most of the time, when they loved him, they were like the warmest and brightest sunshine, allowing him to continue living in this world.

"Thank you," Ye Qingxi said.

He took the mousse cake from her and asked, "Do you have a pen?"

The cake shop owner blinked, not understanding why he asked that, but still nodded and took out a ballpoint pen.

Ye Qingxi thanked him again, took the pen, turned around, signed his name on the cake box, and then returned the pen to the cake shop owner.

He's tall, and when he has his back to someone, the other person can't see what he's doing at all.

"You're welcome," the cake shop owner said with a smile as he accepted the cake.

Ye Qingxi smiled at her, turned around, and walked towards the door.

Five minutes later, the cake shop owner, who was restocking the freezer with new desserts, looked up and suddenly noticed something on the table near the door.

She walked over in confusion, only to find that it was the mousse cake she had delivered a few minutes earlier.

"What happened? Did you forget to take it? Or do you not like it?"

The cake shop owner picked up the box in frustration, but suddenly noticed the signature on the side of the box.

Those were three words she knew all too well—Ye Qingxi.

The handwriting on her signature was exactly the same as the signature on the poster she hung at home!

The cake shop owner almost screamed, but then he saw a line on the signature: "Thank you for the cake. Today is my birthday, please have this."

She pushed the door open almost instantly and looked around, but she could no longer see that familiar figure.

She said, "How could I possibly admit my mistake!"

She had liked him for so many years. Even when Ye Qingxi was embroiled in scandals and everyone cursed him and wished him dead, she still believed in him, supported him, and liked him.

How could she possibly admit her mistake?!

Meanwhile, Ye Qingxi was carrying a cake, preparing to cross the street.

The green light came on, and her phone rang at the same time, but Ye Qingxi didn't answer it.

This is his mother's special ringtone. He set special ringtones for both his parents, not so that he wouldn't miss them, but so that he could miss them.

He walked briskly, knowing there was a park nearby with few people and lots of trees where he could eat cake by himself.

He could eat his eighteenth birthday cake quietly and peacefully, undisturbed by his parents.

He had a good plan, but it was all interrupted by a car that came hurtling towards him.

The cake in his hand flew out, and he was knocked far away. Blood slowly oozed from the back of his head.

Ye Qingxi looked up at the sky above her head.

The sky was very blue, as blue as the carefree sea.

Great, he's going to the sea.

Ye Qingxi slowly closed her eyes, without resentment or anger, only peace and ease.

There was even a sense of relief.

He no longer had to force himself.