Chapter 272 I get rich, you get rich too!
Lu Yanhe also realized why people often say that sitting together and drinking is the fastest way to bring people closer.
Liu Bige and He Han got drunk and became quite high.
Liu Bige also became more talkative—he had always been talkative before, but he still maintained a certain air about him, unlike now, when he spoke while waving his hands, like a conductor in a concert hall, talking about his ambitions and ideals for film, full of hope for the future.
He Han, after getting drunk, became even more unrestrained, spewing out one swear word after another.
In fact, Lu Yanhe generally doesn't like people who swear a lot, but He Han is the kind of person who can make swearing sound very simple.
Lu Yanhe could sense the purity in He Han. He had no malice, no cynicism, and was like someone who had grown up carefree and had no dark side.
What Lu Yanhe didn't expect was that He Han suddenly grabbed Lu Yanhe's hand and said emotionally, "When Liu Bige told me that a big star was willing to act in my movie, I thought he was lying to me. I wondered what kind of big star had popped up out of nowhere. What big star would be willing to act in a movie directed by an unknown newcomer? I didn't expect it to be true! Lu Yanhe, what were you thinking? Did you have your head squeezed in a door to take this risk? To be honest, I'm not even sure I can make this movie myself. I'm afraid I'll mess it up. I finally managed to get the investment and be able to direct it myself. I'm really afraid of messing it up!"
Lu Yanhe looked at him speechlessly, silently took out his phone, and started recording.
I've recorded it first. Tomorrow morning, when they wake up, I'll send them this picture. Their expressions will be even more interesting.
However, putting everything else aside, He Han and Liu Bige's current state actually made Lu Yanhe's impression of them even more profound.
-
Lu Yanhe didn't know whether the two people were drunk or not, but they were definitely a little dizzy.
He was a little tipsy himself, but he was still able to control himself.
He never imagined that he, a drinking novice, would be the last one standing tonight.
All I can say is that Liu Bige and He Han are even worse.
He booked a double room for the two of them, threw a bed in each of them, tidied up, and then went to sleep himself.
Before going to bed, Lu Yanhe carefully read through the information in the envelope Chen Ziyan had given him.
Three people, names, and brief introductions.
One is Shen Tailin, the director of the Beijing-Taiwan Broadcasting Station.
One is Chen Pinhe, a top star and film emperor.
One is Mo Siwei, the CEO of Chiyue, a leading automotive brand.
Indeed, as Chen Ziyan said, these three people, in terms of social status and other aspects, are not people that an ordinary variety show PD like Chen Mo could directly contact, let alone have their private contact information, and happened to have communicated with them recently.
To find out which of the three people instructed Chen Mo to plant the Trojan on Lu Yanhe's laptop, they need to eliminate them one by one. Before that, Chen Ziyan needs Lu Yanhe to be wary of these three people.
Lu Yanhe increasingly felt that Chen Mo was not simple. She seemed to be just an ordinary program PD, but she was able to contact so many big shots directly. What was her background?
He could only suppress his feelings for the time being and continue to wait for Chen Ziyan's investigation.
-
The next morning, Lu Yanhe had to get up early, have a simple breakfast, and then head to the film set.
He let the two of them continue sleeping, waiting to see when they would wake up.
I wonder if they'll continue the same things they did when they were drunk yesterday after waking up. If they remember, they'll probably be in big trouble.
Just thinking about this scene made Lu Yanhe unable to hold back his laughter.
When Zou Dong saw him suddenly smile, he asked him what was wrong.
Zou Dong was also present last night.
Lu Yanhe said, "I was just wondering if Liu Bige and He Han would remember the scene last night when they were drunk and pulled me aside to pour out their hearts to each other."
Upon hearing this, Zou Dong also curled the corners of his mouth.
Around 11 a.m., Lu Yanhe suddenly received a message from He Han: He drank too much last night and talked nonsense. Don't take it seriously.
This is just the first point.
A dozen or so followed.
—I have a lot of confidence in the movie "Miss Ning", really, you'll know once you read the script.
—You should be able to tell how well this script is written, right? Don't worry about my ramblings!
—Yan He, Xiao Lu, Lao Lu!
...
After Lu Yanhe finished filming a scene, he saw these messages from He Han and was both amused and exasperated. He could almost feel He Han's increasingly anxious mood through each update of the messages.
He Han is probably genuinely worried.
Yesterday, he was filled with worries, anxieties, and uncertainty about the future of the film "Miss Ning." He thought that if the actor were replaced, he might really back out.
Lu Yanhe replied: I was filming just now, I will act. The script is very good, you don't need to worry.
-
When He Han woke up, he paced back and forth in his room, occasionally letting out a long howl and lamenting things like "drinking leads to trouble".
Liu Bige sat on the bed, looking completely drunk, his body awake but his mind still foggy. He watched He Han running around the room like a donkey, not knowing what he was doing—Liu Bige couldn't hear a single word of what he was muttering.
"What time is it?" Liu Bige asked.
He Han was too lazy to pay him any attention.
He held his phone, staring blankly like a lovesick simp waiting for his goddess's reply, asking, "Why hasn't she replied yet? Why hasn't she replied yet? Why hasn't she replied yet?"
Liu Bige put one hand to his forehead, looked at He Han speechlessly, and said, "What's wrong with you so early in the morning?"
He Han looked dejected and said, "You still haven't figured it out."
"Remembered what?" Liu Bige yawned.
He Han glared at him with exasperation.
Liu Bige suddenly recalled some fragments.
His eyes slowly widened.
"How dare you say that? What nonsense are you spouting?" Liu Bige looked at He Han speechlessly.
He Han also looked dejected.
Especially since Lu Yanhe hadn't replied for so long, he was really getting impatient.
"He's not really quitting acting, is he?" He Han asked Liu Bige.
Liu Bige scratched his messy hair and said, "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? You, a director yourself, say you're not confident. How can you expect him to believe you can make this movie well?"
He Han sighed.
"You insisted on coming all the way here to see him in person. Did you think he wasn't suitable and replaced him?"
"I didn't mean that, I just—never mind, I'm not saying anything more." He Han and Liu Bige stared at each other, both looking helpless and annoyed.
Just then, He Han's phone suddenly rang.
He immediately picked it up and took a look.
When he saw Lu Yanhe's reply, his expression finally relaxed.
"fine."
Liu Bige asked, "Has Lu Yanhe replied?"
"Um."
What did he reply?
He Han tossed his phone directly to Liu Bige.
Liu Bige received the message, read Lu Yanhe's reply, hissed, and sighed, "He's much more magnanimous than we imagined."
He Han: "Otherwise, how could someone become so famous at such a young age?"
Liu Bige looked at him with disdain and said, "You're going to change your tune now? Didn't you used to think that celebrities weren't actors and couldn't act? You questioned my judgment?"
He Han said, "That's not my problem. It's been said online that Lu Yanhe is the only talented actor who has transitioned from idol to actor in recent years."
“Bullshit, that’s just Lu Yanhe’s fans bragging,” Liu Bige immediately said. “You actually believe these things online? That’s ridiculous.”
He Han now treats Lu Yanhe's farts as sweet, as long as Lu Yanhe is willing to continue acting in this movie.
-
Directors have integrity, but they also have shamelessness.
Different directors have completely different personalities—Lu Yanhe fully realized that being a director is really just a profession. The commonalities they share are simply those that this profession bestows upon them, and it is not only people with a certain personality who can be directors.
Because He Han and Liu Bige had taken a stroll around the film set, many people in the crew knew that Lu Yanhe's next project would be a movie.
From television dramas to movies—to some extent, many people see this transition as a "step up." The hierarchy within the film and television industry still exists. Even though streaming media has led to increasingly sophisticated productions and greater benefits for actors, and many actors no longer consider movies their first choice, currently, movies still elevate an actor's status more than television dramas. An actor's status is largely established through films; those who reach the top through television dramas are extremely rare.
Everyone asked Lu Yanhe with smiles about the production team and the subject matter of the movie.
Lu Yanhe simply said that it was a low-budget film.
When everyone heard that it was a low-budget film, they were somewhat surprised.
Ten years ago, many popular stars would take on low-budget films in order to win awards and enter the film industry. At that time, there was a consensus, though not a consensus, that low-budget art films were a sacrifice for cinematic art, giving the face of a "good actor," and if they were lucky enough to win an award, that was the real reward of "rising to fame overnight."
But ten years later, the film industry is booming, and everyone is seeing more and more clearly that out of a hundred actors who act in low-budget art films, not one can become a Best Actor or Best Actress. All the actors who succeed ultimately rise to fame with the help of blockbuster and popular films and television series.
Lu Yanhe is not an unknown newcomer, so why would he need to act in a movie like this?
Especially when they heard that he wasn't even the lead actor, but just a supporting actor, they all thought Lu Yanhe had lost his mind—why did he take on such a movie?
Lu Yanhe overheard people talking about him while he was in the restroom once again.
"I don't know what Lu Yanhe and his agent were thinking, taking on a supporting role in an art film."
"It's about boosting your status and reputation. Art films may not make money at the box office, but they have a high level of prestige."
"What a load of crap! Art films aren't what they used to be. Do you still think that being highbrow is a way to make a living?"
"Hey, prestige can't put food on the table, but for a star like him who's already famous, it's like a golden statue."
"Don't let the golden image that we painstakingly built with 'The Golden Era' be shattered by a box office flop."
"Isn't there also the guarantee of Phoenix TV? You haven't seen him act on set, he's so good at it, he can often get it in one take."
"What's so special about getting it in one take? It's not uncommon in our crew. Director Chen is the kind of director who won't shoot a second take if it can be done through editing and post-production. If you want to know how well Lu Yanhe acted, just look at how many shots Director Chen gave him in the final cut. Those who acted badly only got long shots and back views."
"You're really getting cocky. Lu Yanhe's acting skills have been praised by President Huang, didn't you know?"
"If an actor is highly cooperative, Mr. Huang would definitely approve of them."
"Do you have a prejudice against Lu Yanhe?"
"I'm just not interested in hearing you praise him. He's only acted in a few plays, yet you act like he's some amazing genius."
"Heh, you really do have a prejudice against him."
...
The two of them went outside.
Lu Yanhe came out of the cubicle after a while.
Lu Yanhe had heard these kinds of words countless times, but every time he heard them, it was like being doused with cold water. No matter how many times he was doused with them, he could never get used to it.
Was taking on the role of Miss Ning a mistake?
Lu Yanhe wasn't sure either.
Both "The Golden Era" and "Phoenix Terrace" were introduced to me by others, and I worked hard to get them. They were big directors, big crews, and big productions.
But Miss Ning is completely different.
Lu Yanhe didn't actually think he could win an award for this movie. He hadn't even thought about it. He just happened to be shocked by the somewhat abnormal character when he was reading the script. It reminded him of his past and gave him a strong feeling that he should play the role.
Chen Ziyan did not deny it and supported him.
Back on set, Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought, and at this moment he truly hesitated.
Seeing him like this, Xiao Yun asked, "Why do you look like a wilted eggplant? I'm not as listless as you."
"I?"
"Yeah, didn't everyone say you're going to make a movie later? That's great, but the way you are now, people will think you've suffered some kind of misfortune."
"Pah, pah, pah!" Lu Yanhe immediately perked up. "Don't curse me."
Xiao Yun laughed out loud.
She laughed and then suddenly sighed, "I really didn't expect that filming 'Phoenix Terrace' would be like a training camp. I would be criticized for every scene. Director Chen is too terrible."
Lu Yanhe said, "Aren't you getting better and better at acting now?"
"It's alright," Xiao Yun said. "It's not that I can't act, it's just that I wasn't familiar with the script beforehand, which is why I made so many mistakes. I'm a great actor, okay?"
She is confident and full of energy.
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Indeed."
Being chosen by Huang Cheng and Chen Lingling to fill in after Zhen Hongyu speaks volumes about her acting skills; she couldn't possibly have been perfunctory.
Xiao Yun: "I don't know when I'll get to play a lead role."
“Maybe once this drama airs, you’ll become an overnight sensation and play leading roles from then on,” Lu Yanhe said.
Xiao Yun immediately smiled, her eyes curving into crescent shapes. "Thank you for your kind words."
"You're welcome."
"And you? You'll probably be playing lead roles in all your upcoming projects, right?"
"I played the male lead in one drama, but that was a drama with a strong female lead," Lu Yanhe said. "The rest of my roles were supporting roles."
"Huh? Why?" Xiao Yun said, "Why are you still playing supporting roles? After 'The Golden Era' aired, shouldn't you be getting a lot of offers for leading roles?"
Lu Yanhe: "I usually have to attend classes, and there's a lot of filming time for lead roles. It's usually hard to find a suitable time, so I mainly take on supporting roles. I only took that lead role because it only had twelve episodes, and the filming time was more suitable."
Xiao Yun stared at him, speechless. "I'm impressed. This is the first time I've heard of someone only being able to take on supporting roles because they don't have enough time. You're amazing."
Lu Yanhe smiled.
Xiao Yun: "If this news gets out, you'll probably be snapped up by all the major film and television companies."
Lu Yanhe: "With so little time, I can only film two or three movies a year at most."
"That's not necessarily true. Maybe they'll make you film two weekends just so you can have a cameo role," Xiao Yun said.
The two chatted while waiting for their scenes to begin.
-
Then comes the Chinese New Year.
Spring Festival.
The crew of "Phoenix Terrace" had a three-day holiday, from Lunar New Year's Eve to the second day of the Lunar New Year.
Staff members whose homes are relatively close to Langhua can go back home, while those who live further away or couldn't get tickets will have to spend the New Year in their current location.
Lu Yanhe also belonged to the group of people who stayed with the film crew for the Chinese New Year.
The crew was making dumplings and having New Year's Eve dinner together, and Lu Yanhe was the only actor who went to join in the fun.
It's not that no other actors stayed on set or didn't go back, but they all stayed by themselves and didn't come to the crew's New Year's Eve dinner.
After having New Year's Eve dinner, Lu Yanhe went live to give everyone New Year's greetings. Afterwards, he sent New Year's greetings text messages to many people, which was all part of the etiquette. He was busy until about nine o'clock in the evening.
The live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala was playing on his computer, and Lu Yanhe watched it intermittently.
Almost every group is sending out red envelopes.
Lu Yanhe received some, and then received some more.
Chen Siqi suddenly sent him a message: This is the most enjoyable Spring Festival I've ever had.
Lu Yanhe immediately asked: What's so great about it?
Chen Siqi: It's great that Liu Wei'an finally stopped whining and pretending. Thinking about all these years I've lived, it's really been frustrating.
Lu Yanhe: Then we should congratulate them.
After saying that, Lu Yanhe sent Chen Siqi a red envelope.
Chen Siqi immediately replied with a fireworks emoji.
Lu Yanhe said: "We have a holiday tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. I plan to meet with Li Pengfei on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Do you think we should invite Lin Yu, Chen Qin and Xu Zijun as well?"
Chen Siqi: I think it's good, and Bai Yu too, they both helped a lot with "Jump Up".
Lu Yanhe: Okay, then I'll book a place.
Chen Siqi: Where are you planning to order from?
Lu Yanhe said: Let's go to Yuming. It will be more convenient for everyone there.
Chen Siqi: You only have two days off, and you have to go back to work on the third day of the Lunar New Year. We'll come and find you. You can book a place near your hotel, and we'll come and find you together. We'll stay at your place for one night on the second day of the Lunar New Year and then leave the next day.
Lu Yanhe: That works too, but wouldn't it be inconvenient for them? They might have to visit relatives during holidays.
Chen Siqi said: "Let me ask around. If anyone needs help, they'll be going back on the second night of the Lunar New Year. I'll arrange a car to take them back."
She added: I'm planning to get my driver's license and buy a car.
Lu Yanhe asked: Will you be able to pass the exam this winter break?
Chen Siqi: No, I can only take the theory test (Subject 1) during winter break. I can only take it again after I return to Jiangguang.
Lu Yanhe: I haven't learned to drive yet either.
Chen Siqi: You're so busy right now, where would you find the time to learn to drive?
Lu Yanhe: I should try my best to learn how to drive; it will be much more convenient in the future.
Chen Siqi: That depends on your own time, but you shouldn't be in a hurry, right? Don't you already have someone driving for you?
Lu Yanhe: I can't ask him to drive me everywhere I go.
Chen Siqi: Driving yourself is indeed much more convenient.
Lu Yanhe: Hmm.
Chen Siqi: I'm going to my grandparents' house tomorrow to have lunch with them, and I'll come over in the afternoon.
Lu Yanhe: How did you get here?
During the Spring Festival travel rush, train tickets are simply impossible to buy.
Chen Siqi said: I'll just hire a car to come over.
Lu Yanhe: Then send me the information about the car you chartered.
Chen Siqi: Hmm.
Chen Siqi then asked: "But are all the restaurants closed where you are? Do you have anything to eat at night?"
Lu Yanhe said: "The film crew has started cooking, so there is food. In addition, many film crews are staying here to work, and many restaurants are still open, so there is no need to worry about food."
Chen Siqi: That's fine then.
-
On the eve of the Lunar New Year, many people set off fireworks in Langhua.
Lu Yanhe lay on the hotel bed, watching the fireworks bloom in the night sky outside the window.
The Spring Festival is a festival of special significance for Chinese people.
Lu Yanhe thought of his parents—he was referring to his parents from before he transmigrated.
I don't know if they are alright.
The moon shines brightest in my hometown.
However, is the moon in this time and space the same moon as the one in that time and space?
Lu Yanhe sighed countless times in his heart, and then, listening to the laughter from the Spring Festival Gala coming from his laptop, he felt even more disheartened.
My phone suddenly started buzzing and vibrating.
Lu Yanhe picked it up and looked at it. Li Zhibai asked them in the group what they were doing.
Yan Liang said that his family members were taking photos with him one by one, and they were also asking him when he would become famous and when his TV series would be broadcast.
Yan Liang was born into an ordinary family; his relatives are all ordinary people with the most simple and unpretentious lifestyles. For an ordinary family, Yan Liang's status as an artist is quite unique, but setting that aside, he is their closest relative. This means that although Yan Liang doesn't see his family often, every time they do, they bombard him with questions, not all of which are appropriate, and some might even inadvertently ask something offensive—like asking when he'll become famous, a question Yan Liang didn't know how to answer at the time. However, Yan Liang knows they aren't intentionally being sarcastic, and understanding their feelings, he doesn't mind.
The situation was different at Li Zhibai's house.
Li Zhibai always says he's the one neglected in his family; his parents are too busy to care for him. Chinese New Year is a rare time when they can sit together. But when they do, it often turns into a lecture about him by his parents. Every time this happens, Li Zhibai goes to the group chat to vent, angrily asking them, "Am I even their biological son?"
Different homes have different atmospheres, but those without a home experience the same loneliness that only they can feel.
He sat up in bed and patted his face.
Don't dwell on these emotions alone.
Lu Yanhe made a concerted effort to pull himself together and decided to find something to do.
He opened his laptop, went to the folder where he stored many "brilliant ideas," looked through them one by one, and then opened a folder called "Scripts."
There was a script inside, called "Lost in Thailand," which was just an outline, and a rough draft of the script.
He wrote the first draft himself and didn't show it to anyone, including Chen Ziyan.
Chen Ziyan previously said that she would find a screenwriter to adapt the story into a script, but he also tried it himself. At that time, he did not have the ability in this area. He tried his best to squeeze out the script, but in the end, even he felt that it was dry and dry.
But at this moment, he suddenly had a whim to revise it again. He didn't know how to describe his feelings at this moment. It was as if he needed a story that had been lingering in his heart for a long time to dilute his overwhelming loneliness.
Lu Yanhe watched this movie very carefully, with his parents, and laughed so hard he was doubled over.
He suddenly had a new feeling about the story.
"Lost in Thailand" is a comedy, but even though it's a series of embarrassing situations, the characters still keep going because it's their way home.
Whether naive or shrewd, whoever it is, they must go back.
-
Lu Yanhe kept revising until 2 a.m.
Aside from the classic lines, Lu Yanhe actually couldn't recite every single line verbatim.
He only remembered the story, and some of the funny parts.
He wrote down what he remembered and then began to fill the skeleton with flesh and blood himself.
One is simple and honest, the other is shrewd and mercenary. Their completely different personalities collide and create exciting sparks. They go from misunderstanding each other to reaching a mutual understanding.
No one was urging him to make these revisions and additions, but he felt a sense of urgency, an urgency to finish them as soon as possible.
Lu Yanhe didn't know why, but it was as if there was a calling deep within his heart.
—This isn't your script; you plagiarized someone else's. What kind of summons is this?
A voice in his mind was questioning him.
He ignored it.
What is not yours will never be yours. Even if no one else knows, you will always know.
In the script, Lu Yanhe typed the last line.
That's a line of narration spoken by the shrewd and calculating Li Chenggong at the end of this story: "I know some things will never truly belong to me, but I've seen them, so I want to tell you. For example, there are people who can truly remain pure and kind in this deceitful world, like the story that happened between me and that person. It's a story you've just finished reading, but for me, it's a memory I often think about and occasionally reminisce about. I never saw that fool again, but I often think about him and occasionally miss him."
Lu Yanhe stood in front of the window at two in the morning, looking at the pitch-black world outside.
He finally gave this story an explanation.
-
Lu Yanhe sent the revised script to Chen Ziyan via email.
He asked: Sister Ziyan, is it possible for me to direct this movie myself?
After sending the email, Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief, lay down on the bed, turned off the light, and went to sleep.
I slept exceptionally soundly, as if I had returned to my childhood, and had a dreamless sleep.
-
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Yanhe received many New Year's greetings via text message early in the morning.
Lu Yanhe sat on the bed and replied to each message one by one, which took about half an hour.
Looking at the time again, oh, it wasn't even early morning anymore, it was already 9:30 in the morning.
I slept in late, which is rare for me.
Lu Yanhe yawned.
While brushing my teeth, I suddenly remembered the script I sent to Chen Ziyan late last night. I wonder if she has read it.
She probably didn't watch it. It's Chinese New Year, how could she have time to watch this?
Lu Yanhe sighed and slapped his forehead.
After finishing writing last night, I got so into it that I forgot the time and sent it to Chen Ziyan.
Never mind, I'll wait until she has time to look at it.
The hotel had already closed for breakfast, and Lu Yanhe didn't want to eat instant noodles, so he went downstairs to wander around and see if there were any breakfast shops open. After wandering around for a while, he finally found a noodle shop that was open.
Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief and went into the store.
The shop was empty except for the owner.
The proprietress sat on a stool playing on her phone, looking at something with a grin on her face.
"Boss, a bowl of beef noodles, please, with a fried egg," Lu Yanhe said.
Upon hearing the voice, the proprietress immediately responded, then looked up and recognized him at a glance.
"Oh my, Lu Yanhe!"
People who own shops near the film studio are not surprised to see celebrities; instead, their tone conveys a sense of warmth, as if saying, "Oh, it's you!"
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Happy New Year, and may you prosper!"
The proprietress laughed heartily twice, her laughter was very cheerful, "If I get rich, you get rich too!"
On the first day of the new year, everyone wants to hear auspicious words.
The proprietress also gave Lu Yanhe a braised chicken wing, saying, "I made this braised chicken wing myself. Try it. I wish you great success!"
Lu Yanhe exclaimed, "Just for the words 'Great Roc Spreads Its Wings,' I have to eat it first!"
After eating the noodles, my stomach felt warm and cozy.
The proprietress's noodles were really good, delicious.
Lu Yanhe paid the bill and said, "It's delicious."
The proprietress was very proud and said, "That's right, I've been running this shop here for over ten years."
Lu Yanhe was very surprised and said, "It's an old brand."
"That's right." She took out her phone. "Can I take a picture with you?"
“Sure, no problem.” Lu Yanhe nodded readily.
The two took a photo together before Lu Yanhe left.
Not long after they went out, they ran into Zou Dong.
"Brother Dong?!" Lu Yanhe looked at him in surprise. "Why are you here?"
He gave Zou Dong the day before yesterday a holiday and told him to go home for the Spring Festival and come back on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Why is Zou Dong here now?
Zou Dong said, "I spent the New Year with my parents. You're all alone here, so I had to come over."
Zou Dong divorced his ex-wife. He only went back to his hometown to visit his parents yesterday, and came over today.
"You finally get a day off, why don't you spend some time with Xiaoyu?"
Zou Dong's son, Zou Yu, is currently in the second grade.
After his divorce, he stopped living with his ex-wife and son. Given the nature of Zou Dong's job, it wasn't easy for him to see them.
Zou Dong said, "He went back to his maternal grandmother's house with his mother."
So that's how it is.
Lu Yanhe said, "It seems I need to find someone else to take your leave of absence, otherwise you won't be able to enjoy your vacation properly."
Zou Dong immediately said, "It's okay, I can manage on my own."
Lu Yanhe didn't say anything.
He gave Zou Dong a year-end bonus of 50,000 yuan during the Spring Festival, which surprised Zou Dong greatly.
Zou Dong never expected that he would receive such a high bonus.
Lu Yanhe said, "Although we've only known each other for two months, we'll be working together for a long time. You've provided me with a lot of help, and I'm counting on you for the future."
In addition to the 50,000 yuan year-end bonus, Lu Yanhe also gave Zou Dong a pair of leather shoes.
“This was a gift from a costume designer when we were shooting an advertisement. I haven’t opened it yet. You’re the same size as me, so try it on.”
Lu Yanhe wondered if that was why Zou Dong had rushed over so early on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Lu Yanhe said, "Did you travel late at night yesterday?"
Zou Dong nodded.
"You should go back to the hotel and rest. My classmate is coming over this afternoon, and I'll be having dinner with her," Lu Yanhe said. "Come find me around 4:30."
Zou Dong nodded.
Lu Yanhe: "Wait, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"
Zou Dong had indeed skipped breakfast in order to get here as quickly as possible.
"I ate some cookies."
Lu Yanhe said, "Then you should eat something first. I just had some noodles at that noodle shop, and it was pretty good. Let's go there; it's the only shop open around here."
He took Zou Dong to that noodle shop.
When the proprietress saw Lu Yanhe return with someone, she assumed that Lu Yanhe had left something behind.
Lu Yanhe said, "Boss, please make another bowl of noodles, extra portion, and one serving each of fried egg and braised chicken wings."
The proprietress's cheerful "Okay!" was so energetic that even Lu Yanhe felt invigorated just listening to her.
-
Since her mother passed away, Chen Siqi has often visited her maternal grandparents' home, sometimes staying overnight there. She also makes sure to visit them during holidays.
"Qiqi, are you sleeping at Grandma's house tonight?" Grandma asked.
Chen Siqi shook her head and said, "Grandma, I have to go find Lu Yanhe. He's filming in Langhua."
Upon hearing this, Grandma immediately exclaimed "Oh!" and asked, "This kid is still filming during the Chinese New Year? How come the film crew is so inhumane, not giving them a holiday?"
Chen Siqi hugged her grandmother's arm and leaned on her shoulder, saying, "It's a holiday. The film crew gave us three days off. He just had nowhere to go. Grandma, he's so pitiful. You have to take good care of him from now on."
Grandma glared at her, "You brat, you haven't even brought the person back for us to see yet, and you're already siding with outsiders."
Grandpa came over with a plate of freshly popped popcorn and chimed in, "That's right, we've been telling you to bring Lu Yanhe over so we can see him, but you just wouldn't."
Chen Siqi pouted and said, "What are you looking at? Don't you guys really like watching the TV series 'The Golden Era'? You can watch him on TV. We're not officially together anymore, so why would we bring him here for you to see? Besides, we're only nineteen, okay? Dating isn't the time to talk about marriage or meeting each other's parents."
Grandma slapped Chen Siqi on the head.
"Who said that bringing him here to meet us means we're talking about marriage?" Grandma glared at her without giving her a chance to speak. "It's to have your grandpa help you make an informed decision, so you don't get fooled."
"Me, stupid? He's the stupid one," Chen Siqi retorted, dissatisfied.
"You think you're so great?" Grandpa snorted.
"Oh dear, how can you not believe your own granddaughter?" Chen Siqi puffed out her chest. "Just you wait and see, I've found a really great guy, you'll definitely like him."
Grandma and Grandpa both gave her a disdainful look.
"Eat up quickly." Grandpa pushed the popcorn in front of her. "It won't taste good if it gets cold."
Chen Siqi smiled and nodded.
-
At five o'clock in the afternoon, when the sun was almost setting, Chen Siqi got out of the car and met with Lu Yanhe.
The last time the two met was in December, when Chen Siqi returned to Yuming to visit several writer teachers and had a meal with Lu Yanhe.
It's been almost two months since we last saw each other.
At this moment, Zou Dong wisely refrained from following Lu Yanhe like a doorman, and instead stepped back about three meters away, watching them from a distance and giving the two young people plenty of space.
However, it was chilly outside the hotel, so it wasn't possible to stand there for too long.
They set off for the restaurant immediately.
“I’ve never been there either. Producer Huang recommended it to me, saying it’s a high-end club for private banquets with a very nice environment.” Lu Yanhe introduced to Chen Siqi in the car, “There are also hot springs there. We can go there to soak in the hot springs after dinner tonight.”
Chen Siqi immediately glared at Lu Yanhe, "What do you want to do?"
Lu Yanhe was taken aback by Chen Siqi's gaze, then remembered something and immediately shook his head, saying, "Men and women are separated; it's not a mixed hot spring."
Chen Siqi then responded with an "oh".
"I booked two triple rooms. Li Pengfei, Chen Qin, and I will share one room, and you, Lin Yu, and Bai Yu will share the other. Is that alright?"
Lu Yanhe originally wanted to stay in a private room, but everyone expressed a desire to live together, so this arrangement came about.
Chen Siqi: Sure, but it's a bit of a pity that Xu Zijun can't come this time.
“They had family matters to attend to and couldn’t come, but we’ll have to wait for another opportunity,” Lu Yanhe said. “It’s been a long time since the few of us have gotten together.”
“Besides you and Li Pengfei, the rest of us talked quite a lot, and even Chen Qin was helping us,” Chen Siqi said. “We originally wanted to get Li Pengfei involved, but he really wasn’t interested in making a magazine, so we gave up.”
Lu Yanhe said, "He enjoys outdoor activities such as traveling and mountain climbing."
Chen Siqi: "If he doesn't want to, that's fine. I just feel that since the rest of us are doing this, it would be a good thing if he could join us."
Lu Yanhe: "He can join whenever he wants."
“It’s like this now, but when the ‘Jump Up’ team gets bigger and bigger, it won’t be like this anymore. Do you still want to turn ‘Jump Up’ into your class reunion?” Chen Siqi rolled her eyes at Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe smiled and said nothing more.
He knew, of course, that this wasn't good, but somewhere deep down, he had thought that if it could be like this, it would be quite nice.
Chen Siqi complained: "It's a good thing you're an artist. If you were an official, you would definitely practice nepotism."
Lu Yanhe thought about it seriously, nodded, and said, "It's fortunate that I became an artist."
For entertainers, relationships aren't that important.
Chen Siqi thought to herself that Lu Yanhe's sincerity would probably never change unless he was stabbed in the back a few times.
She thought to herself, "I'd better hope for the best."
Having a sincere heart is such a rare thing, and she actually envied it.
A person's character often determines many things unintentionally.
When they arrived at their destination, they ate together, watched a movie, then went to take showers, prepared to soak in a hot spring, and then went to sleep.
Their rooms were next to each other, and the hot spring was only separated by a wooden plank.
A small pool, about the size of a fountain.
Hearing the sound of running water coming from the other side of the wooden plank, Lu Yanhe's mind was filled with vague images. His cheeks flushed, perhaps from the high temperature.
"Lu Yanhe," Chen Siqi called from the other end.
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe looked up.
Chen Siqi said, "My maternal grandparents asked me when I would take you to meet them."
"Huh?!" Lu Yanhe was stunned for a moment, as if he had been hit by something.
Chen Siqi remained silent, seemingly waiting for Lu Yanhe to speak.
Lu Yanhe scratched his head, unsure of what to say.
"I...I'm fine with anything." His face was obscured by the white mist, and he coughed lightly. "It's up to you."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
