Chapter Fifty-Six: The Return
The glass curtain wall of Nanhang International Airport refracts the midsummer sunlight into fragments of gold. After five years, Yunyao has finally returned to her hometown once again.
As Yun Yao walked out of the customs passage, he loosened the collar of his white shirt. His fair, jade-like fingers brushed against his collarbone, causing the exquisitely made-up lady next to him to pause for a few seconds. The young man's profile looked as if it had been carefully polished by the summer sun, and his well-shaped, high nose cast a small shadow, like a captivating illusion.
"Mr. Yun, over here." Xiao Lin, the assistant who came to pick him up, held up a sign, his gaze lingering on him for three seconds before finally looking away. The person in front of him was far more striking than in the photos. Xiao Lin had worked at Wangyue Media for so long and had seen all kinds of beauties, but this Mr. Yun still left him speechless. Even in a crowd, he was like a jade disc bathed in moonlight, radiating a cool, serene glow.
He had never seen anyone in the entertainment industry with such a natural and unique temperament. The most captivating feature was his eyes, which were like ink paintings. The pupils were like translucent black jade, yet seemed to contain moisture. When he wasn't smiling, he had a hint of aloofness, but when he smiled, they were like half a handful of spring snow melting, making people's hearts tremble.
Someone was filming a vlog by the baggage carousel, and the camera suddenly cut out when it panned to him. Yun Yao bent down to pick up her carry-on suitcase, and the girl in the sundress next to her stared blankly at him, holding her phone so close to his face. Her friend, who was traveling with her, tugged at her arm, and she blushed as she apologized, "I'm sorry... you look so much like my idol." In that instant, she even thought that her idol, with his stunning good looks, wasn't as handsome as this guy...
Yun Yao chuckled softly, her voice carrying a warmth reminiscent of sunshine: "It's alright." Those two words nearly made the girl spill her iced Americano.
As Yun Yao stepped out of the arrival hall, a wave of heat hit her like an invisible net. She subconsciously squinted and noticed that the camphor trees in the parking lot were much thicker than she remembered, and the cicadas' chirping was so dense it seemed to boil the air.
Xiao Lin opened the car door, and a rush of cold air instantly filled the room. "Mr. Yun, would you like to go home first or to the company?" Xiao Lin handed him a bottle of chilled mineral water.
Yun Yao gazed intently at the familiar scenery outside the window, as if afraid of waking from a long-lost dream, and said softly, "Please take me home first. I'll go to the company tomorrow."
As the car drove over the elevated highway in Nanhang, he rolled down the window. The scent of sycamore leaves wafted in, mingled with the sweet aroma of ice jelly from a street vendor. Yun Yao's gaze swept over the rows of high-rise buildings, then suddenly stopped at a certain intersection. There used to be an old lady selling gardenias there, a friend of her grandmother's. Every summer, she would sit on a small stool, the fragrance of the white flowers in her basket so strong it could carry half the street.
The music of a sprinkler truck drifted from afar, mingling with the chirping of cicadas and the laughter of children, softening the five-year gap in time, like a dream that would never fade.
Yun Yao returned to her long-lost home in Nanhang. The afternoon sun slanted across the living room, casting latticed shadows on the floor like a chessboard frozen in time.
A faint scent of gardenias wafted in the air, emanating from a celadon vase on the windowsill, in which two newly opened white flowers were arranged, their petals still glistening with tiny water droplets.
“Mr. Yun, Chairman Qin has already arranged for a cleaning lady to come and clean. Chairman Qin also said that this is an important trip for her, otherwise she would definitely have come to pick you up herself.” The assistant, Xiao Lin, who had come along, put the suitcase in the corner, his gaze pausing as he swept over the photo wall. In the photo, sixteen-year-old Yun Yao held a dance competition trophy, surrounded by her family, her smile innocent and pure, more innocent and moving than the gardenias in the porcelain vase. He suddenly understood why the usually philandering and cold-hearted Chairman Qin had made such an exception for this person.
The cicadas outside the window chirped more intensely, and sunlight filtered through the grapevines, casting dappled patterns on the back of his hand. His phone vibrated in his pocket—a notification. Yun Yao didn't look at it; he simply leaned against the door, listening to the cicadas outside, savoring everything that had once haunted his dreams. Sunlight streamed through the window, flowing across his exquisitely sculpted profile, piecing together the fragments buried by time.
The next day, assistant Kobayashi arrived on time to pick up Yunyao and take her to the company.
In the bustling metropolis, the car sped along before finally stopping in a central street. The building standing before Yun Yao was Wangyue Media, one of the top entertainment companies and the agency where Yun Yao was signed as an artist—but this artist contract was anything but ordinary…
As soon as Yun Yao stepped out of the car, before she even entered the gilded revolving door, several senior executives from Wangyue Media, gleaming in their leather shoes, rushed to greet her. CEO Zhang Sheng personally held the doorway shut, as if afraid the intricate metal carvings might touch a strand of her hair.
"Mr. Yun, you must be tired from your journey." The vice president's voice was a half-tone higher than usual, and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes creased into wrinkles with his smile. "Chairman Qin specifically instructed that your lounge be arranged to the highest standard. Let us show you around the entire company first."
Yun Yao nodded slightly, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes. The way her gaze swept across them captivated the executives who had spent years immersed in the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. Their previous guesses were now confirmed.
Following the executives into Wangyue Media, Yun Yao discovered that this entertainment company was entirely in line with Qin Rao's personal tastes, exuding luxury and grandeur everywhere, as if flaunting its status as the core of the ambitious world of fame and fortune.
The LED screens on both sides of the corridor were playing the company's annual highlights on a loop. The smiling faces of the award-winning actors and actresses seemed like a background that had suddenly lost its color when he passed by.
"This way, please," CEO Zhang Sheng stepped aside to lead the way, the cuff of his custom-made suit brushing against the wall, bringing with it a scent of cologne mixed with perfume.
As Yun Yao passed the dance studio at the very end of the third floor, she couldn't help but stop. A new music video was playing on the projector, the walls changing into gilded patterns in time with the rhythm, making the dancers' sweat look like scattered gold. The door to the recording studio next door was ajar, and she could see the award-winning producer adjusting equipment.
Seeing Yun Yao looking in that direction, the vice president immediately said, "The recording studio just got a full Dolby setup. Last week, when the diva was recording her new song, she even said..."
“No need to look at the recording studio,” Yun Yao suddenly spoke, his voice as clear as ice water. “I’m more interested in the film and television department.” He turned his eyes away, no longer looking at the dance studio.
The vice president immediately chimed in, "The film and television department just signed a contract with Director Chen for his new film, and the male lead position is still vacant..." Before he could finish speaking, he was stopped by President Zhang with a look. When the latter turned to Yun Yao, his smile deepened even more: "If you like it, we can specially approve a project for you."
The elevator dinged as it reached the top floor, and the door to the CEO's office slid open automatically. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched the city's dazzling skyline, and the carpet was so thick you could sink halfway into your shoe. Yun Yao walked to the list of artists on the wall, tapping the last empty space on the wall. There, a blank, gold-embossed nameplate stood out more prominently than any of the most popular artists' seats.
"This is reserved for you," Mr. Zhang handed over a fountain pen, the tiny diamonds on the cap so dazzling they made your eyes water. "You can write whatever name you want on it."
Yun Yao lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. When he looked up again, he said softly, "Let's write my real name—Yun Yao. I hope that one day, everyone will know this name."
The executives all laughed heartily. They looked at each other, thinking that Yun Yao, whose background was unfathomable, was indeed ambitious. But that was the right thing to do; why be a star if you don't want to be famous?
But Yun Yao was thinking to himself, once he gained public recognition, would he be able to completely escape those shadows and never be awakened by nightmares again in the middle of the night...?
The group finally arrived at the conference room on the top floor. Limited edition vinyl records were displayed on the mahogany bookshelves inside, but the most conspicuous spot was a gilded photo frame containing a group photo of all the company's artists. Each person's smile had been smoothed by the photo editor to look like a doll in a shop window, and the fatigue in their eyes was completely covered up by expensive eyeshadow.
Yun Yao was deeply moved. You always have to pay the price for what you gain, and the price of being a celebrity is something you can't talk about.
He had actually guessed that he would be received with such "grand" treatment today, after all, that was Qin Rao's style. But throughout the entire day, deep down, he felt detached. This circle was bustling and noisy with fame and fortune, and he was like an outcast, carrying a secret that others could never understand, and he plunged into it with a clear purpose.
Yun Yao had already made preparations. He wasn't afraid of any gossip; he would take advantage of the situation to participate in some well-known film and television works, accumulating a sufficiently safe level of fame. This was his sole purpose in entering this industry.
A few months later, a post titled "Exploded! Let's expose the parachuted heir of Wangyue Media! Is he the pinnacle of resource-backed celebrities?" on a well-known online entertainment gossip forum had soared to the top of the trending list. The red "Explosive" word was like a red-hot branding iron, burning on the screen full of flashing new replies.
Under the trending post, netizens' debates exploded like boiling oil meeting water, with opinions from different perspectives weaving together into a cacophony on the screen. But no matter how heated the discussion became, no one was able to uncover any real inside story.
When his assistant, Xiaolin, showed Yunyao his phone, he hadn't even had time to change his clothes after finishing a night shoot. His browser was on a trending forum post, the main thread featuring screenshots ranging from behind-the-scenes photos of him as the lead in a music video for a popular idol when he first debuted, to a photo of him with a renowned international director the day before. The post, in bold red text, summarized: "Debuting as a leading man, working with A-list celebrities and famous directors—definitely the pinnacle of resource-rich actors!"
Yun Yao didn't continue reading; he could roughly guess what kind of content and comments would follow. He simply glanced at his assistant, Xiao Lin.
Xiao Lin's lips twitched slightly, and he forced a smile, saying, "Mr. Yun, don't worry, the company has already been handling these online discussions. We'll promote the trending posts and suppress the negative ones. Besides, being discussed generates attention; you see, more and more people know your name now."
Yun Yao shook her head and said calmly, "This kind of 'fame' is fake; it comes quickly and goes quickly. In the end, it still comes down to the quality of the work. I'll talk to President Zhang again tomorrow and ask him to arrange more acting training for me..."
Xiao Lin didn't dare to say much and nodded in agreement. Over the past few days, he had also noticed that Yun Yao was not like the average person in this industry. He was very calm and rarely showed any emotions. He didn't show any of the restlessness, arrogance, or smugness that a newly promoted star would have. He was as aloof and indifferent as a stone statue or jade carving, completely out of place with the glamorous style of the entertainment industry.
Xiao Lin even discovered that Yun Yao possessed a composure and dignified aura that was beyond his years, making even this seasoned veteran of the workplace hesitant to try anything funny in front of him.
However, Xiaolin had no choice but to do the things assigned to him. He didn't really understand why Chairman Qin, who clearly valued and cared about Yun Yao, would still hint at him doing that...
The next day was another scorching hot day. Yun Yao finished the packed schedule that the company had arranged for him and was finally able to go back to the company to rest.
In the top-floor conference room of Wangyue Media, the blinds were scorching hot from the sunlight. A female artist was silently memorizing something while clutching a freshly printed audition script. Suddenly, her agent, Sister Wang, nudged her arm, her voice as low as a leaky air conditioner: "Watch the door."
The revolving door slid open silently, and a group of people escorted a young man who was reading a script as he walked in.
"This is Yun Yao..." The agent, Sister Wang, spoke three octaves lower than usual, and everyone in the conference room glanced at her, some openly and some secretly.
The young man who had been reading the script seemed to notice the cryptic stares, put down his script, and looked over. A collective gasp filled the conference room. Today was Wangyue Media's quarterly meeting, and many people were only seeing what the rumored Yun Yao looked like on this very day.
Some sighed with resentment, while others whispered gossips... Just then, they saw that the special assistant, Xiao Lin, who had followed the young man in, was carrying a file bag with the words "Changping" printed in gold. This was a big production that Director Chen had been preparing for five years, and the whole company was saying that the male lead had been decided by the company's top actor, Zhou Yingdi.
"Assistant Lin, wait a minute," an agent who was familiar with Kobayashi called out to him, his eyes fixed on the documents in his hand.
Xiao Lin knew what they were thinking with a glance, so he stopped being mysterious and said smugly, "You guys don't know yet, do you? Director Chen's 'Changping' has cast Yun Yao as the male lead."
The air seemed to freeze for three seconds. Manager Wang heard the soft sound of a pen falling to the ground behind her. It was the male actor who had just gained some popularity last month with a web series; he was still clutching his resume, vying for the fifth male lead role in a movie. Manager Wang suddenly laughed, her fingernails scratching fine lines on her crocodile-skin handbag: "Didn't Director Chen say he wanted someone experienced with martial arts skills for the male lead?"
Xiao Lin clicked his tongue. "President Zhang and Director Chen said that this is not a problem." His voice was not loud, but it struck a chord with everyone.
Just then, the door to the meeting room opened, and the usually stern-faced General Manager Zhang personally walked over and pulled out a chair for Yun Yao. "Yun Yao's contract is specially approved," he said, glancing at the stiff faces of everyone. "For the next three months, all company resources will be allocated to 'Changping'."
“Oh, right,” Xiaolin suddenly clapped his hands as if remembering something, “Yun Yao has also been chosen for the cover of next month’s fashion magazine.” He added, “The editor-in-chief said he would make an exception and give her twelve pages.”
The sound of a glass shattering came from the break room. When the female artist looked up, she saw a row of artists with their heads down reflected in the mirror, each with an inscrutable expression.
However, Yun Yao, the protagonist of the incident, glanced at Xiao Lin and President Zhang without showing any emotion, as if he understood something.
After the meeting ended, Yun Yao declined some of the executives' invitations for a tea break and returned to the top-floor lounge alone. He picked up the script for his new movie and began to study it, but before he could finish reading for a few minutes, there was a knock at the door. Yun Yao opened the door to find Qin Rao, a regular visitor these past few days.
Originally, Qin Rao, as the actual behind-the-scenes controller of the company, rarely appeared in front of her employees and subordinates. The president and senior executives basically managed the company on her behalf, and even outsiders knew very few people about her. But ever since Yun Yao joined Wangyue Media, Qin Rao has basically started to clock in and out of this entertainment company, one of her businesses, almost every day.
"Yun Yao," Qin Rao said with a bottle of fine champagne in her hand, looking at the handsome young man in her territory, her red lips curving into a smile, "I'm here to congratulate you on getting the lead role in Director Chen's 'Changping'!"
Yun Yao's expression remained indifferent. He didn't step aside to let Qin Rao in, but instead looked at her and slowly asked, "Qin Rao, after all these years, haven't you gotten tired of your game yet?"
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