Chapter 34: The Arrival of Du Mu

Su Xuan sighed at his phone, ultimately deciding to give up.

The only opening lines he could think of were the standard backup boyfriend bootlicking quotes: “Are you asleep?”, “What are you doing?”, “Did you eat?”, “Sleep early”, and “Goodnight”.

…Not that he couldn’t say them, but Su Xuan felt there was something off about it.

Su Xuan currently wasn’t planning to develop further with Shen Chao. He felt their current friendship was just fine.

They could talk about anything, act and work together. Now that Su Xuan had controlled his own infatuation, he was quite used to this atmosphere of colleague-friend between him and Shen Chao.

Let the past drift away with the wind, Su Xuan thought melancholically.

He lay sideways on the bed, opened Weibo, and followed netizens eating melons to learn about Shen Chao’s opponent from UK—Du Mu. The internet really did have a memory; no one knew how many years ago a Hong Kong media newspaper group photo had been dug up.

Su Xuan squinted at the bodyguard in a black suit next to Du Mu—why did this person look exactly like Brother Gang?

Su Xuan had just enlarged and screenshotted Brother Gang’s photo, about to send it to Song Xiao for confirmation, when his phone vibrated twice.

Shen Chao sent him a message: [Are you asleep?]

Su Xuan fell into a strange silence. He hesitated for a few seconds, then replied: [No.]

Shen Chao’s side showed ‘typing’ for a long time, but after waiting several minutes, Su Xuan finally received only four words: [What are you doing?]

Su Xuan: “…”

There it was! The second line of the standard bootlicker opening quotes!

[Su Xuan]: Looking at Brother Gang’s photos, filmed with him today.

Shen Chao this time typed even longer, maybe five or six minutes before sending a few characters: [Brother Gang’s photos?]

[Su Xuan]: Yeah.

This time the typing world lasted even longer. Su Xuan realized chatting with Shen Chao was really a technical job; each reply interval grew longer, like a robot lagging more and more.

[Shen Chao]: He’s straight.

Su Xuan replied, somewhat dazed: [??? Oh, I know.]

How many gays could there be in this world? Brother Gang indeed was straight. Su Xuan’s expression grew more confused. He replied: [He’s a pretty handsome straight guy.]

This time Shen Chao typed for a full ten minutes. Su Xuan was almost falling asleep waiting, until he finally got Shen Chao’s message: [What did you eat for dinner?]

Su Xuan: “…”

Did it take ten minutes to type that?

Su Xuan replied obediently: [Corn.]

[Shen Chao]: Are you going to sleep?

[Su Xuan]: Yeah, still have to film tomorrow.

[Shen Chao]: Sleep early, goodnight.

[Su Xuan]: Goodnight.

After replying, Su Xuan felt something was off. He read through the messages Shen Chao had sent him, and the more he looked, the weirder it seemed…

Had Shen Chao just recited all the bootlicker opening lines he knew?

Su Xuan shook his head in a daze—must be his imagination.

Shen Chao stared at the two characters “Goodnight” flashing on the screen. His eyes moved, looking for a very long time, but he didn’t put the phone down.

His gaze was somewhat dim and stagnant—he couldn’t chat much with Su Xuan. The things he could think of were only so many.

Shen Chao was a very boring person. His world was as blank and uninteresting as his contact list. He couldn’t chat more than a few sentences with anyone. What remained in his life was only work and acting. The people who could keep in contact with him were very, very few.

Su Xuan was different. Su Xuan was someone who could chat a lot with anyone, could be happy with anyone. Today he met Yan Gang, and tonight he could look at Yan Gang’s photos, definitely showing that “Wow, so handsome” expression, then chattering with bright eyes to people around him for a long time about the new friend he met today.

Su Xuan gave his goodwill so easily to anyone, generously bestowed his smile on passersby. The people willing to say goodnight to Su Xuan must be so many they’d fill up his entire WeChat contact list.

But Shen Chao’s goodnight, only Su Xuan could receive.

When he lay on the hospital bed with no one to talk to, he so desperately wanted to see Su Xuan, to receive a goodnight and a smile that Su Xuan could give to anyone.

But if Su Xuan didn’t give them, Shen Chao before wouldn’t actively ask for them.

But after that incident, Shen Chao found that he increasingly wanted Su Xuan to look at him, wanted all of Su Xuan’s smiles. That restless, long-suppressed emotion boiled in his chest, burning his heart, making him unable to control himself, unable to tell himself that he and Su Xuan were not from the same world.

A person like Shen Chao wasn’t suitable to be with Su Xuan.

He might do very bad and excessive things to Su Xuan.

A woman leaned over, one hand propping her chin. She wasn’t looking at Shen Chao’s phone but kept a certain distance watching him, smiling: “You seem both happy and unhappy, Nelson.”

Shen Chao turned off his phone. His expression was indifferent: “Call me Shen Chao, don’t call me that English name.”

The woman indulged him with a smile: “Alright, Shen Chao. I thought you liked your English name. Were you just talking to… someone special?”

Shen Chao’s jaw tightened. He looked at the woman with a cold, warning glare: “Don’t contact him in any way.”

“If I find you trying to contact him.” Shen Chao lowered his brows, revealing a naked, unruly aggression. “…I can do anything.”

“Alright.” The woman acquiesced obediently, making a soothing downward gesture. “Shen Chao, I’ve never interfered in anything you do. When you were studying abroad and said you wanted to stop psychological treatment and come back to China, you came back. When you wanted to enter the entertainment industry, you entered. I just hope you are happy.”

She was very gentle, but also somewhat melancholic and sad, with some uncontrollable self-blame: “I just hope you don’t let yourself get hurt.”

“It doesn’t matter even if I get hurt,” he said calmly. “As long as it’s not Su Xuan.”

As long as it wasn’t Su Xuan. He could endure pain. Shen Chao was already used to it to some extent.

The woman wisely stopped raising topics that caused disagreement. She probed further: “Andy told me you’ve recently tried to resume psychological counseling?”

Shen Chao coldly refused to inform: “None of your business.”

Her slender fingers tapped on her knee, revealing a smile tinged with expectation. She seemed genuinely happy that Shen Chao was willing to resume counseling, tears in her eyes: “Are you trying to start an intimate relationship with someone?”

Shen Chao gripped his phone tightly and issued a dismissal: “I need to rest.”

Her gaze slid like silk over Shen Chao’s clenched phone: “Alright, I’ll come see you again tomorrow, Mom.”

She paused for a few seconds, then couldn’t help leaning forward: “…Is it the person you were just chatting with?”

Shen Chao coldly said to the nurse who walked in: “Please escort this lady out.”

She picked up her bag, forcing a polite smile at the nurse, then said to Shen Chao: “Goodnight, my boy.”

Shen Chao closed his eyes and did not answer.

He had already received the goodnight from the person he needed. No one else’s mattered.

The next day, Su Xuan continued to be beaten by Brother Gang.

During the break in the beating, Su Xuan bit his boxing mouthguard and drank ice water. Next to him, Ning Xinyang draped a white towel over him and was rubbing his shoulders: “Hang in there! You can do it!”

Yan Gang: “…”

Yan Gang had just hit Su Xuan in the face with his sword, sending him flying to the ground where he bit his tongue. So he told Su Xuan to have his assistant buy a boxing mouthguard to avoid biting his tongue off.

Su Xuan had never heard of such a bizarre fighting style as biting off a tongue, and he was horrified as he yelled at Ning Xinyang to buy the mouthguard immediately.

Su Xuan sat on the ground. His condition today was better than before; at least he could unscrew the water bottle cap himself. He gulped down some water and asked casually, “Brother Gang, did you used to work as a bodyguard?”

Yan Gang wiped his sweat with a towel and thought for a moment: “Yeah, but it was boring. Didn’t do it long.”

Su Xuan slyly unscrewed a bottle of water and handed it to Yan Gang, fawning: “Besides Shen Chao, who else did you bodyguard for?”

Yan Gang put the water on the ground and looked down at Su Xuan: “Why are you asking? Client confidentiality.”

Su Xuan realized his probing failed and went straight to the point: “I saw a photo of you with Du Mu. I’m curious about that guy.” He opened his phone and showed Yan Gang the photo. “That’s you, right, Brother Gang?”

Yan Gang looked and frowned: “Yeah, a long time ago. I remember him—seems like some rich second-generation.”

Su Xuan guided: “His name is Du Mu, son of a UK shareholder.”

Yan Gang directly took the phone from Su Xuan and scrolled forward a few more photos. The more he looked, the darker his expression became. “…It’s him. I stopped taking any orders from that company later. That company is shady.”

Su Xuan probed: “Shady?”

Yan Gang said with some disgust: “A lot of stunt doubles have died at that company. The most recent one was settled with just 150,000 and that was it. Couldn’t even pursue it because the contract was signed that way—not even a domestic contract, but one signed overseas. If you want to sue, you have to go cross-border.”

…150,000 for a life settled like that…

Su Xuan’s heart grew cold: “…About this Du Mu, Brother Gang, do you know any… bad news?”

“Which aspect?” Yan Gang glanced at Su Xuan steadily. “In business, that kid’s got a sharper mind than you. In private matters, I can’t disclose. But personality-wise, I still like you better.”

Su Xuan was caught off guard by this sudden confession and took a sip of water to cool down: “Thanks, big bro, but we’re impossible.”

Yan Gang dropped a bombshell: “I like Shen Chao too. He’s got good stamina, can take a pounding.”

Su Xuan’s mouthful of water went straight into his bronchial tubes. He burst into a coughing fit, staring at Yan Gang with utterly shocked eyes, his mouth slightly agape.

Yan Gang was oblivious: “…He learns much faster at falling and hitting than you. Your body can’t take any punishment. I rough you up a few times and you’re done.”

Su Xuan: “…”

Su Xuan: “Sorry.”

Yan Gang turned and smacked the back of Su Xuan’s head with the broken sword: “What use is saying sorry? If that’s all it took, what would I be here for? Get up and keep training!”

Su Xuan was still immersed in the daze of not being able to take a pounding, when Yan Gang forcefully knocked him flat on the ground. The sword slid down his back, over his clothes, and stopped on the ground—

Yan Gang sneered: “Su Xuan, the way you look now, you’re like a little turtle with a long tail.”

Su Xuan: “…”

When Su Xuan finished today’s boxing (beat-up) lesson, he was quite proud that he could take a bit more punishment than yesterday.

Yesterday Yan Gang had carried Su Xuan and dumped him at the hotel. Today Su Xuan could still stand shakily.

Seeing his progress, Yan Gang asked if he wanted to go drinking.

Su Xuan originally wanted to refuse such a decadent activity, but Song Xiao, also driven crazy by boredom, came to join the fun. She couldn’t drink, but she wanted to go out to eat.

Thus, soft-shrimped Su Xuan was forced to give up on his plan to visit Shen Chao.

He wanted to visit Shen Chao, but Song Xiao said Shen Chao’s mother had arrived yesterday, and Su Xuan felt it might be inappropriate to barge in.

So Su Xuan chose to be sandwiched between Song Xiao and Yan Gang and go drinking.

Ning Xinyang followed Su Xuan as well.

They finally decided on hotpot, extra spicy broth. Song Xiao, being pregnant, could eat extremely spicy. She found a hotpot restaurant she knew and booked a private room. The group ordered dishes and waited for the pot to boil.

But Ning Xinyang’s face turned pale as paper at the sight of the bubbling red oil in the hotpot.

Even before eating, Ning Xinyang was drenched in cold sweat, wiping his glasses repeatedly. Su Xuan saw how scared he was, his shoulder blades trembling, turned and said, “Ning Xinyang, can you not eat spicy? I ordered a divided pot—you can have the white broth.”

Ning Xinyang nodded so hard his head almost hit his chest, his voice so low it was almost inaudible: “I’m not hungry, Brother Su. You guys eat.”

Su Xuan found it strange. Before leaving Leaf Media, Ning Xinyang had had hotpot with them a few times. Although Ning Xinyang didn’t eat spicy because he needed to protect his singing voice, it wasn’t to the point of this… this terrified reaction.

Su Xuan looked down at him, about to say something to tease the kid and lighten the mood, when he noticed a wet spot on Ning Xinyang’s glasses, growing larger.

He was crying.

Ning Xinyang cried very quietly, his eyes and nose red, jaw clenched tightly, trying not to make a sound, but his shoulders were shaking slightly. His eyes stared in terror at the boiling, spicy red broth, as if watching something that would devour him alive.

Something was wrong. Ning Xinyang was afraid of the hotpot as if he were about to faint.

Su Xuan slowly withdrew his smile. He stood up: “We’re not having hotpot today. Let’s go eat something else, somewhere else. Okay?”

Ning Xinyang looked at him in surprise.

Song Xiao was confused: “But we’ve already ordered.”

Su Xuan was nonchalant: “I just lost my appetite. I’ve been beaten up all day—give your victim some rights, sis. How about we go eat barbecue?”

Song Xiao was easygoing; she loved all food, and the mention of barbecue made her mouth water: “Alright! Let’s go!”

Yan Gang thoughtfully rubbed his chin, watching Ning Xinyang: “The way you sit in front of the hotpot… have I seen you somewhere before?”

Ning Xinyang lowered his head and said nothing. Yan Gang tapped the table twice, then said with sudden realization: “Oh, did you work at UK? I saw you in Du Mu’s friend circle.”

Yan Gang stared at Ning Xinyang, who was shaking as if about to convulse, then finally stood up: “You can’t eat hotpot, can you?”

Ning Xinyang forced a smile: “You’ve mistaken me for someone else. I just don’t like spicy. I can eat…”

Yan Gang didn’t argue. He scooped a full bowl of red, steaming broth from the hotpot and pushed it in front of Ning Xinyang, whose face was deathly pale: “Then taste it.”

Trembling, Ning Xinyang took the bowl, but Su Xuan grabbed his hand.

Su Xuan looked steadily at Yan Gang, still with a playful grin: “Brother Gang, what’s going on? Explain it to me, huh?”

Yan Gang’s eyes were sharp: “I just asked him to taste it. Why did he look like he was about to down the whole bowl?”

Ning Xinyang held the bowl for about a minute, then burst into hysterical sobbing, his whole body spasming as if he were about to faint. He shook his head desperately and mumbled, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—!”

He was crying pitifully, tears and snot streaming down his face. Despite being a tall guy, he cried like something truly heartbreaking had happened, tears falling nonstop, nearly crying himself unconscious.

After Su Xuan sent Ning Xinyang back to the hotel, he left Song Xiao to accompany him and went out to find Yan Gang.

Yan Gang was silent for a long time. He flicked his cigarette and pinched it out: “I can’t say for sure it was Du Mu, but I saw your assistant in Du Mu’s friend circle. Du Mu posted a short video. Someone was taunting your assistant, saying if he could finish a whole pot of ghost pepper hotpot base, he’d give him ten million to make an album. If he didn’t…”

Su Xuan was sharp: “If he didn’t, what?”

Yan Gang: “If he didn’t, they’d make him drink some ‘enhanced’ hotpot base.”

Su Xuan turned pale: “Did they actually have that stuff?”

Yan Gang looked away: “Of course not. But your assistant was too naive. He got scared and drank it. Those people timed him, said he had to finish in one minute. He didn’t make it, so he had to accept the punishment.”

Su Xuan clenched his fists so hard they turned white: “There was a f*cking punishment too?!”

Yan Gang looked at him, took another unlit drag on his cigarette, and said in a low voice: “…They played a game, with rewards and penalties. Those people made your assistant get on stage to sing ‘Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies.’ He didn’t finish; halfway through he choked and threw up on his guitar.”

Su Xuan’s mind went blank. For a moment, he couldn’t speak.

Ning Xinyang had signed with Leaf Media in the same batch as Su Xuan.

Su Xuan had heard him sing in English. As a student who barely scraped by on his CET-4 and CET-6, Su Xuan had a special liking for Ning Xinyang, who sang English songs so beautifully. It could also be understood as admiration from a poor student for a top student.

Su Xuan remembered Liu Pangpang boasted with great ambition that Ning Xinyang would be the next king of singers. Back then, Ning Xinyang was singing “Yesterday Once More” in the vocal practice room, his voice soft and sweet, intertwining with the original singer’s voice in Su Xuan’s memory, indistinguishable between male and female.

Su Xuan believed that maybe one day, Ning Xinyang would become the king of singers.

Ning Xinyang was someone who cherished his voice. Su Xuan had never seen him smoke, drink, or eat any spicy or irritating food. The kid would even carefully blow on hot food to cool it down before eating, afraid of hurting his voice.

Fu Mu and Ning Xinyang were like night and day. Fu Mu smoked, drank, permed his hair—a complete mess. Su Xuan had countless times used the good kid Ning Xinyang to educate Fu Mu that doing so would make him regret it when he stood on stage to sing in the future.

Fu Mu always dismissed it, saying that cherishing it was pointless if no one listened.

What about Ning Xinyang? Who could he sing for now?

His last song was only half-finished.

Su Xuan couldn’t say a single word. He felt his throat burning painfully, as if doused with boiling oil. Visions of intersecting lights flashed before his eyes. Finally, he forced out a hoarse question: “…How many of those kinds of videos are in Du Mu’s friend circle?”

Yan Gang was silent for a moment. He opened his mouth, then closed it, holding the cigarette. He lit it.

He didn’t answer.

Su Xuan dragged his feet into Ning Xinyang’s hotel room. The production team didn’t cover assistants’ accommodation, so Su Xuan had booked a room near his own. He had the key card to Ning Xinyang’s room. He knocked twice and opened the door.

The bundle of blankets on the bed shrank slightly, a small voice: “I’m fine, Sister Song.”

“It’s me, Su Xuan.”

The blanket lump on the bed almost tried to shrink into nothing. After a long while, Ning Xinyang said in a barely audible voice: “Thank you for today, Su Xuan.”

Su Xuan closed the door and approached the bed. He took off his shoes and sat cross-legged next to the blanket lump. He joked: “You call Song Xiao ‘Sister Song,’ but you call me ‘Su Xuan’? How about calling me ‘Brother Su’?”

Ning Xinyang’s voice was small but not weak: “Everyone calls you Su Xuan. Brother Fu also calls you Su Xuan.”

In Leaf Media, Su Xuan’s seniority and age were not low. He was older than Fu Mu and Ning Xinyang, but he had never heard any of these kids call him “Brother Su” or “Senior Brother.”

Even Shen Chao initially called him “Teacher Su,” but later just called him Su Xuan.

But Su Xuan was actually their senior fellow apprentice—Liu Pangpang had mentored him. Su Xuan’s seniority should be the highest.

Su Xuan crouched next to the blanket lump: “Hey, I’m older than you. It won’t kill you to call me once, right?”

The blanket lump hesitated, wriggled a couple times, and mumbled: “Bro… Brother Su?”

Su Xuan poked the blanket lump. There was a smile in his eyes, but it was bittersweet, so much so that he could barely keep it up: “Where’s your guitar?”

Ning Xinyang paused, then said: “It broke. I sold it as scrap.”

Su Xuan couldn’t help it. His heart ached and softened, and his eyes reddened: “It’s okay. I’ll buy you a new one later. What brand do you like?”

Ning Xinyang was the little junior brother he had watched grow up. How could he now not even have a guitar? The thought pained Su Xuan.

“I don’t need a new one,” Ning Xinyang said softly. “I haven’t played for a long time. I play the turntables now—it’s fun too.”

Su Xuan was silent for a very long time, then asked: “Have you ever played ‘Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies’ on the turntables?”

Ning Xinyang didn’t answer. From the blanket lump came faint, suppressed sobs, like a wounded animal crying: “I have. I love that song. When everyone jumps and sings along, I secretly sing along too.”

“But no one can hear me—it’s too loud. And I sing terribly, so it’s fine.”

Su Xuan patted the blanket lump and said softly: “You’re still better than Shen Chao. He only sings ‘Happy Birthday,’ and off-key. I can’t sing much either.”

Ning Xinyang poked his head out from the blanket, eyes still a bit wet, both hands gripping the blanket, somewhat surprised: “Brother Su, you can’t sing—that I think is normal. But Shen Chao can’t sing? No way, right?”

Su Xuan ruffled his hair and let out an exasperated laugh: “…What do you mean ‘that I think is normal’? You’re surprised Shen Chao can’t? You think everyone is as talented as you, able to play turntables and sing, and also be my assistant?”

Ning Xinyang tried to shrink back into the blanket: “I can’t sing anymore.”

Su Xuan stopped him, very seriously: “You really can sing, Ning Xinyang. Even if you can’t now, one day you will. Even if you can’t for a long time in the future, you can’t say you can’t sing.”

“Because you once sang—very, very, very well.”

Su Xuan said sincerely: “The first time I heard you sing, what was that song? It felt so peaceful and quiet, just like you. Let me hum… something ‘when,’ something ‘young’—my English listening is bad, I only remember those few words.”

Ning Xinyang didn’t want him to ruin the classic and replied: “‘Yesterday Once More.'”

“I think that song is a lot like you.” Su Xuan smiled. “You can have a yesterday once more too.”

The next morning, Su Xuan, who hadn’t slept well all night, was dragged out of bed by the dutiful Ning Xinyang and delivered to Yan Gang for his beating.

Su Xuan was still half-asleep, but when he saw Ning Xinyang, he was so startled all drowsiness vanished: “Ning Xinyang, how did your eyes get so swollen?!”

Su Xuan exclaimed in horror: “—So swollen they’re lifting your glasses off your face!?”

Su Xuan was instantly awakened by the sight. Ning Xinyang pushed up his slipping glasses, his voice still nasal: “When I cry hard and long, they swell up easily.”

Su Xuan stared at the ET-like swollen face of Ning Xinyang, marveling and babbling: “You should ice them. Don’t go to the set today, or people will think Brother Gang beat both of us up last night.”

Su Xuan’s face was also a bit swollen from Yan Gang hitting him with the scabbard.

Ning Xinyang: “…”

After hesitating for a long time, Ning Xinyang stammered: “…Brother Su, can I get an advance on my salary?”

Su Xuan didn’t look back while dressing: “Sure, what for?”

“I want to buy a new guitar.”

Su Xuan slowly turned around, revealing a pleasantly surprised and teasing smile: “Don’t want me to buy it for you? Your call of ‘Brother Su’ wasn’t for nothing, was it?”

Ning Xinyang lowered his head, scraping his toes on the ground: “I can’t take things from you. You have a grudge with Brother Fu. I can’t be disloyal to him.”

Su Xuan stiffened: “…Oh.”

After a beat, he couldn’t help but ask: “Fu Mu told you he has a grudge against me?!”

Ning Xinyang said quietly: “He didn’t, but every time he sees you, he goes back very angry… He buys your posters and pastes them on his treadmill, runs while stepping on you. He can run over ten kilometers…”

Su Xuan: “…”

Ha. Immature.

Su Xuan fumed inwardly: When I get back, I’ll do the same! I’ll run twenty kilometers! I’ll step on you to death!

When Su Xuan arrived at the set today, he immediately felt the atmosphere was off. The most obvious sign was that Yan Gang didn’t raise his sword to strike Su Xuan but stood in front of him with a grave expression, pointing the sword at someone else.

When Su Xuan saw this person, he couldn’t help but raise his sword too.

It was definitely the right call to not let Ning Xinyang come today.

Two nights ago, Su Xuan had seen photos of this person on Weibo blowing by the sea. He didn’t expect to meet him in person today. Old and new grudges came together. Su Xuan glared hatefully at the man—Du Mu.

Du Mu wore an open-collar shirt, exaggerated sunglasses, huge over-ear headphones around his neck, chewing gum. Despite his ridiculous outfit, Du Mu was actually better-looking than in his photos. He was handsome with a bit of a baby face, but he looked exceptionally evil and shady. As soon as Su Xuan met his eyes, Du Mu gave him a provocative smile, and Su Xuan’s whole body broke out in goosebumps.

…What was it about this guy? Su Xuan’s intuition told him this man was very dangerous.

Du Mu was chatting with Hua Na, grinning and joking, but Hua Na’s face was red with anger. He clutched the script in his hand, almost throwing it in Du Mu’s face. Du Mu didn’t even dodge or blink.

Su Xuan asked Song Xiao, who was standing by the set, very frustrated: “What is he doing here? Did he come to eat shit?”

Song Xiao’s tense expression cracked into a smile. She leaned close and whispered: “…He came early this morning. He replaced two assistant directors but didn’t replace Hua Na. He moved swiftly—Hua Na didn’t even have time to react.”

She hesitated and added quietly: “But I don’t know what Du Mu is up to. After replacing the assistant directors, he still hasn’t left. I just confirmed with Hua Na that Shen Chao won’t be replaced. I don’t know what Du Mu is staying for… or whose role he wants to take.”

Song Xiao worriedly continued: “If an actor doesn’t leave, it means they’ve set their sights on a role in the show. Du Mu can’t replace Shen Chao, but he has plenty of leeway to replace others.”

Especially some Su fool.

Su Xuan was somewhat stunned: “That blatant? Coming straight to the set to steal a role?”

Yan Gang crossed his arms and snorted coldly: “You haven’t seen how crazy he can get.”

As soon as he finished, Su Xuan saw Du Mu grinning as he snatched the megaphone from Hua Na, lazily calling out to the set: “Who’s playing the male lead’s second? Come here—I have some good news for you.”

Su Xuan: “…”

Song Xiao: “…”

Yan Gang looked grim: “See.”

Hua Na snatched the megaphone back furiously: “He can’t be replaced!”

Du Mu’s tone was impatient, but his face was all smiles: “Director Hua, I can’t replace this one, I can’t replace that one. I don’t like playing supporting roles for others.”

Du Mu grinned, but the smile was shallow on his gloomy eyes, not reaching them. He said softly: “You don’t want me to play the female lead, do you? I do have the confidence to cross-dress and act in a romance with Shen Chao, but can he act it out convincingly with me?”

Hua Na’s chest heaved with rage: “You f*cking…”

Du Mu’s eyes narrowed into slits: “My mom died a long time ago, Director Hua. If you’re going to curse, curse my dad instead.”

Su Xuan saw Hua Na was on the verge of hyperventilating, quickly walked over, and faced Du Mu: “I’m the second male lead, Su Xuan. Hello.”

Du Mu looked Su Xuan up and down as if scraping off a layer of skin. Su Xuan couldn’t help but stand at attention. Du Mu’s gaze finally stopped on Su Xuan’s face. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned in close to Su Xuan’s face. Su Xuan instinctively stepped back to avoid Du Mu’s proximity.

Du Mu smiled suddenly: “I know you. You’re the male lead from ‘Siheyuan.’ I’ve seen the uncut version. Your director submitted it for awards.”

Du Mu smiled and said: “I really like your bed scenes. I watch them every night.”

Su Xuan was completely stunned. He had no comeback, finally managing an awkward: “Thanks. For a while, I also watched them every night.”

Hua Na: “…”

Song Xiao: “…”

Du Mu smiled meaningfully: “Maybe we can watch together?”

Su Xuan refused quickly: “No, no, no. At that time, I always watched them with Shen Chao.”

During the filming of Siheyuan, Shen Chao and Su Xuan had to repeatedly watch those scenes to study performance details. Both were novices then, needing that sort of training.

Sometimes it was very awkward watching together—though Su Xuan felt it was only awkward on his side.

Because Shen Chao seemed indifferent, while Su Xuan felt strongly like he was watching porn with his crush, and with himself acting in it. He couldn’t control his reactions. It was like being a middle schooler watching porn with others—strange.

But Shen Chao would always watch coldly and calmly, then go take a shower. Su Xuan would stay sitting there for a long time until Shen Chao came out of the shower with a blank expression and called the embarrassed Su Xuan to go clean up.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

I, The Final Boss, Don’t Want To Be The Protagonist’s Mother

DramaFantasy

Read Now →
Not interested