Chapter 36: The Calculus of Love

Du Mu seemed to have just come by for a visit. He played the role of [Rouge Young Master] as if testing how fun a toy was, almost like he was showing off.

The next day, Su Xuan confirmed this suspicion. He received a text from an unsaved number:

[Shen Chao can replace Wang Muzhe anytime. I can replace you anytime too, Su Xuan.]

Su Xuan understood. Du Mu’s act of wanting to play Rouge Young Master was to seek justice for Wang Muzhe. He felt Shen Chao had pushed to replace Wang Muzhe, so he wanted to give Su Xuan a warning. He didn’t actually intend to perform. Yan Gang also said that Du Mu hadn’t taken roles involving a mother’s death since adulthood.

So Wang Muzhe and Du Mu were really friends.

Su Xuan replied: [Then why are you running?]

No response.

Du Mu really left.

Hua Na almost cried with joy.

Du Mu’s presence in the crew was more terrifying than a nuclear weapon. A director like Hua Na simply couldn’t handle an actor like Du Mu.

Hua Na finally relaxed his long-tensed nerves and allowed Song Xiao to shoot action scenes. Shen Chao also returned to the crew. His waist was still wrapped in elastic bandages, so he could only shoot close-ups. For more intense action scenes, Yan Gang usually stepped in. Yan Gang didn’t know his own strength and often beat Su Xuan until he was scrambling for his head.

When the director called cut, Yan Gang sometimes didn’t stop. He would casually whip the back of Su Xuan’s head with the scabbard and mock, “Weakling.”

Su Xuan, furious, lunged forward and locked Yan Gang’s throat: “Who are you calling a weakling! I’ll f*ck you to death!!”

Yan Gang sneered indifferently, twisted Su Xuan’s arm, and said with a smirk as Su Xuan screamed, “Wait until you can take a pounding before you talk about f*cking.”

Shen Chao watched in silence, then turned to Song Xiao. “They’re always like this…”

Song Xiao finished for him: “f*cking each other over? Yeah, that’s how straight guys show friendship—by claiming they’d f*ck the other to prove they’re stronger. Those two do it all the time.”

Su Xuan, pinned to the ground by Yan Gang, was still pounding the floor and howling, “Next time I’ll f*ck two of you!”

Yan Gang taunted, “I could f*ck ten of you with one hand.”

Shen Chao: “…”

Song Xiao shrugged. “See?”

Shen Chao’s jaw tightened. He seemed displeased. “Yan Gang never talked like that when he worked with me.”

Song Xiao thought for a moment. “Maybe he thinks he can’t f*ck you? Anyway, he always mocks Su Xuan for being a bottom who can’t fight back, calling him a weakling who needs to be paid to be trained…”

Shen Chao cut her off coldly: “Stop.”

Su Xuan was still roaring: “Yan Gang! Don’t bully the young! Thirty years east, thirty years west! If you don’t kill me today, I’ll f*ck you over tomorrow!!”

Song Xiao added the second half: “…And eventually, Su Xuan got infected too.”

Shen Chao: “…”

Every day, Su Xuan dragged his little sword and bravely went to Yan Gang’s place to get fucked… ah, no, to get beaten.

Recently, Su Xuan had been shooting solo scenes or scenes with extras, so there wasn’t much action.

He was getting smoother with these scenes, rarely needing retakes. Thanks to Aunt Qian’s inhuman torture earlier, Hua Na was shocked when he saw Su Xuan’s footage again, saying he’d never seen Su Xuan act so expressively.

Su Xuan’s small movements and eye contact were much better.

He didn’t have the perfect proportions of Shen Chao or Du Mu, so when he stood still and lost focus, he looked like a static image. He needed distinctive little movements to bring the frame to life—like now, he would lean back his shoulder blades or press his toes against the scabbard to tense his muscles, creating a sense of readiness.

Of course, it was also more exhausting. Su Xuan now ate two or three boxed meals per meal, astonishing Song Xiao, who was pregnant and had to watch her figure. She often asked Su Xuan if his agent wouldn’t get angry about such eating habits.

Liu Pangpang would definitely rage if he knew Su Xuan ate two boxed meals at a time, but he didn’t know.

Su Xuan nervously ate in secret.

Su Xuan’s big scene[Killing His Mother to Attain Enlightenment]—hadn’t been shot yet. After watching Yan Gang’s full beating session, Director Hua tactfully said Su Xuan wasn’t ready yet.

Yan Gang beat him even harder. Every time Su Xuan collapsed, stars danced before his eyes, and when he looked up, he felt like he was about to be beheaded.

Su Xuan waved weakly: “Bro Gang, I can’t go on today. If you keep beating me, I won’t have a tomorrow.”

Su Xuan crawled up, grabbed water, and took a few gulps. His head hung low as he gasped for breath. Yan Gang looked at his dog-like state and handed him a towel: “Much better than before. You can get up and drink on your own.”

Su Xuan was speechless: “If I don’t get up and drink myself, would I let you humiliate me? If I asked you for water, you’d just pour it over my head.” He took the towel and wiped his red face, then copied Yan Gang, covering his head to rest.

He had a scene in the afternoon and needed to recover quickly.

Yan Gang handed him another boxed meal: “Rest a bit before eating, or you’ll throw up.”

Su Xuan took it dully and suddenly said, “Bro Gang, is it just me, or has Shen Chao been avoiding me lately?”

Yan Gang was opening his own meal. He looked at Su Xuan. “Why do you think that?”

Su Xuan stared blankly at his boxed meal. “After Du Mu came, he started deliberately avoiding me… And when I got close to help him, he wouldn’t let me.”

Yan Gang took a sip of water and thought for a moment. “Sometimes we brothers at the dojo have conflicts too. It’s annoying.”

Su Xuan asked hesitantly, “How do you usually handle it?”

Yan Gang: “I beat up both of them, and they make up.”

Su Xuan: “…”

That’s only because they have a common enemy!!!

Yan Gang sighed slightly. “I used to hate dealing with those squabbling brothers. Now I kind of miss beating them up.”

Su Xuan: “…”

No one but you would miss that!

Yan Gang glanced at Su Xuan. “Want me to help you and Shen Chao sort out your issues?”

Su Xuan: “, No, thanks, Bro Gang.”

Song Xiao looked at Shen Chao in confusion. “What’s going on with you two? Su Xuan came to help you today, and you looked like you were about to freeze him out. What did he do to you?”

Shen Chao’s gaze fell on where Su Xuan was sitting with Yan Gang. He looked away and said coldly, “Nothing.”

Song Xiao was puzzled. “Hey, I can tell you’re super mad. But how did Su Xuan even get on your nerves? He’s been practicing with Yan Gang all day, so he hasn’t had a chance to bother you… Are you still thinking about Du Mu?”

Shen Chao looked down at his boxed meal. He held his chopsticks and poked at the rice without eating. “…No.”

Song Xiao was baffled. “Then what’s wrong? Is it still about Su Xuan? He hasn’t done anything. What’s the deal? You still like him, so why are you giving him the cold shoulder? There has to be a reason.”

Shen Chao paused his chopsticks. “…Because I’m jealous.”

Song Xiao: “……Huh?!”

Song Xiao was dumbfounded. “Jealous of who? Yan Gang?! Yan Gang beats him like a turtle every day! You’re jealous of that?! If so, why not also be jealous of Director Hua? They get even closer when discussing scenes…”

Shen Chao stabbed a piece of broccoli with his chopsticks and said calmly, “I am jealous of them too. But I’m already full of jealousy. Can’t eat anymore.”

Song Xiao stared at him in shock. “…No wonder you wanted to teach Su Xuan yourself. Holy shit, don’t tell me you’re still holding a grudge against that technician who slept with Su Xuan for one night?”

Shen Chao gave Song Xiao a flat look. “Liu Neng? I switched his room. He’s on the fifth floor now.”

That technician Liu Neng had been on the first floor, where Su Xuan, too exhausted to walk, had clung to him.

Song Xiao’s emotions were mixed. “…You even remember his name… Shen Chao, you can really endure… Then you should go after Su Xuan. I feel like he likes you. If you take the initiative, maybe you two could get together?”

Shen Chao’s chopsticks stopped. “And if we do get together, then what?”

Song Xiao was taken aback. “Then what?”

Shen Chao turned to look at her. “If he later falls for someone else, what should I do?”

Shen Chao’s breathing was light. His pupils were very pale, and when he looked directly at someone, it gave the illusion of seriousness. Song Xiao felt that Shen Chao was genuinely thinking—even simulating the scenario of Su Xuan liking someone else. It made her unable to offer platitudes like “Su Xuan isn’t that kind of person” or “Don’t be so pessimistic.”

Because this answer was crucial to Shen Chao.

Crucial enough that he would rather keep his distance, determined to think it through before approaching the person he liked.

Song Xiao knew a little about Shen Chao’s family background. His parents had an open marriage.

But that open marriage didn’t end well.

When Shen Chao was fifteen, his parents began a three-year separation. Eventually, after some incidents, when Shen Chao was eighteen—around the time filming for “Siheyuan” ended—his mother and father reached an agreement and divorced.

Before the divorce, according to Song Xiao, Shen Chao’s mother had several lovers outside. Those lovers kept approaching Shen Chao, who was still filming, trying to persuade him to accept them, claiming they were his mother’s true love and wanted to marry her after the divorce.

Shen Chao coldly rejected them every time.

Song Xiao recalled a conversation she had with Shen Chao’s mother about him.

Shen Chao had been in therapy since he was fifteen. As a teenager, he was extremely misanthropic and cold. At his private middle school, he barely spoke to anyone for three years, except for attending classes. He had no friends. Though he excelled at everything, nothing mattered to him—a stoic’s drift-through-life.

Shen Chao’s mother told Song Xiao that Shen Chao believed human relationships were fleeting, chaotic, and impossible to maintain forever.

He hated such relationships. He also hated his mother for trying to make him socialize and fall in love. So he stopped therapy, returned to China alone, and fell into an even more reclusive state, barely contacting even her.

Until Shen Chao turned eighteen, some incredible change occurred.

He started acting and entered the entertainment industry. His mother believed someone must have changed him, but no one knew who. Initially, she thought it was Song Xiao, but Song Xiao knew it wasn’t her.

Now Song Xiao was sure who it was—Su Xuan.

Song Xiao remembered what Shen Chao’s mother told her.

She sat in front of Song Xiao, looking melancholy, and said softly, “Not everyone in the world has a relationship as twisted as mine with Shen Chao’s father. I know because of me, Shen Chao doesn’t trust people’s feelings… But I’m like this. I can’t love only one person forever, so I can only maintain this kind of marriage.”

Song Xiao looked at her and couldn’t help asking, “Then why did you end up divorcing?”

Her expression dimmed. “Because his father loved me too much. He couldn’t sustain that relationship anymore.”

She sighed. “Someone like me doesn’t deserve such good, complete love. It’s unfair to him. I can’t reciprocate.”

Song Xiao felt both incomprehension and discomfort, but this woman was Shen Chao’s mother, so she said nothing and just listened silently.

“People like me are a minority—outsiders. Shen Chao doesn’t need to treat everyone he meets as if they were me.”

Shen Chao’s mother stared blankly, her expression utterly defeated. “…Shen Chao simply can’t believe there exists a feeling in this world that can last forever without changing. He also doesn’t believe anyone would be willing to love him forever.”

“But if Shen Chao loves someone, he will never change.”

In this world, Shen Mengshu knew only two people who would love someone like that. One was Shen Chao’s father, whom she had betrayed.

The other was Shen Chao.

What Shen Mengshu didn’t tell Song Xiao was that before the divorce, Shen Chao’s father almost imprisoned her. Shen Chao called the police to arrest his father. At eighteen, Shen Chao silently watched his father curled up on the floor, sobbing, begging her not to leave him. Even at that point, he didn’t want to end this painful relationship and marriage. Meanwhile, Shen Chao’s mother sat on the sofa, her shoulders trembling under her shawl.

Shen Chao watched his father without a word. His hands trembled just like his mother’s shoulders. His mind uncontrollably recalled the person who had captured his heart—Su Xuan.

Shen Chao didn’t want to become the next tragic, pitiful figure like his father, nor did he want to turn Su Xuan into someone like his mother, pale with fright, frozen on the sofa.

It would be too humiliating. If the only beautiful memories Su Xuan had of him ended with Shen Chao hurting him like this.

Too humiliating.

He knew he was capable of doing such terrible things to Su Xuan. To keep Su Xuan, Shen Chao could do anything. Even at the moment he saw his father being pinned down by the police, what flashed through his mind was, if he kept Su Xuan this way—or did something even more awful, like sleeping with him to trap him—would Su Xuan run? Would he call the police?

But there were no answers to any of this.

Shen Chao didn’t do it.

With a blank mind, he returned to the set and received Su Xuan’s confession.

In that instant, as Su Xuan smiled with curved brows and said he liked him, all the twisted desires within Shen Chao reached their peak. He even wanted to bite a piece of flesh off Su Xuan’s face, tie his hands, and pin him down on the bed where they had filmed countless scenes, forcing him to swear never to leave. All kinds of vile thoughts raced through Shen Chao’s mind.

But the moment he saw his own reflection in Su Xuan’s eyes, all thoughts of hurting Su Xuan vanished. He was like a puppet drained of emotion, the feelings inside him forcibly extracted like water, leaving only cold reason warning him to stay away from Su Xuan.

Shen Chao spoke calmly, saying thank you, Teacher Su, you’re too deep in character.

After saying that, he almost began to hate Su Xuan. Why did Su Xuan make him fall for him? Why did Su Xuan have to like him? Why did he keep appearing before him?

Why couldn’t he just stop liking Su Xuan?

Shen Chao could barely stand seeing Su Xuan’s posters or any mention of him. The moment he did, his heart would involuntarily ache and swell. A gnashing, love-hate emotion was tightly sealed inside his calm exterior.

Sometimes, he would irrationally, peacefully fantasize: what if Su Xuan could love him forever? Just like he loved Su Xuan.

Neither Song Xiao nor anyone else in this world could guarantee Su Xuan would love Shen Chao forever.

Feelings were uncontrollable—especially in this circle, they were uncontrollable to the extreme. Wang Muzhe changed boyfriends every three weeks. Hua Wei had married three wives, each younger than the last. Even Song Xiao herself had been in several relationships during college, never expecting any of them to last forever.

Believing in the permanence of love was unwise, at least for Shen Chao.

Parting and reunion were natural laws, but in the entertainment industry, this cycle accelerated. Fast-food love was the trend, and amicable exes were the most popular.

In Song Xiao’s mind, Su Xuan and Shen Chao were two people with a good relationship. Not many could reach such a level with Shen Chao. She was happy that Shen Chao had feelings for Su Xuan, because Shen Chao rarely liked anyone, and Su Xuan seemed like someone who rarely betrayed affection.

This feeling was beautiful.

But it couldn’t be counted as forever.

Song Xiao gave her considered answer to Shen Chao: “If Su Xuan likes someone else, you can just like someone else too.”

Shen Chao’s face was eerily calm. He lowered his eyes and said softly, “I can’t like anyone else.”

He turned his head to look at Su Xuan, still joking with Yan Gang, his pupils reflecting Su Xuan’s image. “I’ve liked him for too long. I’ve lost the ability to like others.”

Song Xiao was stunned—Shen Chao said it with such certainty. She couldn’t bring herself to refute it, as if saying “Are you so sure you won’t like someone else?” would be a desecration of his feelings at that moment.

Shen Chao continued calmly, “I’m accepting that one day he might not like me anymore.”

“When I fully accept that, I’ll approach him.”

Liking someone was dangerous. The shortest distance between two points is a line. The shortest distance between two people is liking. But if one day one person leaves and the other can’t stop liking, it becomes a solitary ray, passing through every point in the world, stubborn and endless, stretching into the universe and the end of time, loving alone.

Shen Chao’s liking was a ray. Its starting point was Su Xuan, and its end point was also Su Xuan. If Su Xuan wasn’t at the end, Shen Chao’s liking had no endpoint.

Song Xiao asked, “And you? After he leaves you, what will happen to you?”

Shen Chao thought for a moment, looked at Su Xuan talking animatedly beside Yan Gang, then stabbed another piece of broccoli and said calmly, “Be jealous.”

Su Xuan was complaining to Yan Gang about how Shen Chao was distancing himself from him.

Then a staff member quietly came over and said, “Su Xuan, someone’s looking for you. A beautiful lady. She looks a bit like Shen Chao—must be his relative. She says she wants to discuss something private with you.”

Su Xuan’s head filled with question marks. He pointed at himself. “Are you sure she’s looking for me?”

The staff member thought for a moment. “She said she’s looking for the male actor closest to Shen Chao. That’s you, right? Otherwise, I’ll find…”

Yan Gang: “…”

This guy had just been complaining that the distance between him and Shen Chao was a light-year.

Su Xuan followed the staff member through twists and turns until they stopped by a snack cart. He was a bit dazed.

A woman in a beige fitted dress stood next to a cart selling boiled corn. Her features were soft and pretty—really beautiful, the kind of elegant beauty that was especially charming when she smiled. She waved. “Hello.”

Su Xuan blurted out, “You’re Shen Chao’s… um, sister?”

She looked somewhat like Shen Chao—the kind of resemblance that was immediately recognizable as blood-related. Her eyes were especially similar.

She took the corn from the vendor, smiled, and extended her hand. “Thank you for calling me young, but I’m past the age of being a sister. I’m Shen Chao’s mother. My name is Shen Mengshu, or you can call me Carlota.”

Su Xuan, who had barely passed his English exams, wisely chose the Chinese name. He shook her hand, a bit flustered. “Aunt Shen, hello!”

Ahhhhh—! Shen Chao’s mother! Oh my god!

Su Xuan felt awkward.

Shen Mengshu smiled. “You seem scared of English?”

This aunt was too perceptive!

Su Xuan was a bit intimidated and said awkwardly, “…Yes.”

Shen Mengshu smiled. “Shen Chao doesn’t like English names either. Can you tell me your name?”

Su Xuan realized he hadn’t introduced himself. He scratched his head sheepishly. “Su Xuan.”

Shen Mengshu smiled with interest. “Nice name. I like it. I’m sure Shen Chao likes it too. Are you the male actor closest to him on set?”

Joking about that was fine, but in front of his mother, even Su Xuan’s thick skin couldn’t take it. He quickly waved his hands. “Not exactly the closest, but we get along… I guess?”

Thinking about Shen Chao’s recent distance, Su Xuan felt a pang of guilt.

Shen Mengshu sat down on a small stool by the stand and patted the seat next to her, inviting Su Xuan to sit. Her fitted dress made it hard to sit on such low stools.

As soon as she started to sit, Su Xuan immediately took off his costume and laid it over her lap. Meeting her eyes, he blushed and explained, “This way… it’s easier.”

To avoid any wardrobe malfunction.

Shen Mengshu pulled the sides of Su Xuan’s costume apart slightly and gave a playful curtsy of thanks. “Thank you, kind sir.”

She took a couple of bites of the corn in a plastic bowl on the table, frowned, and put it down. “I guess I still can’t get used to this. I wonder why Shen Chao wanted to eat this when he was sick. He never touched it before.”

Su Xuan stammered, “Shen Chao doesn’t eat corn? I gave him some before…”

Back at the scenic spot, he had given Shen Chao one every day.

Shen Mengshu turned to look at Su Xuan, held his gaze for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. “Right, he doesn’t eat corn. Our tastes are almost identical. What I don’t eat, he basically won’t either. Similarly, the type of person I like, he generally won’t dislike.”

She smiled elegantly. “I really like you, Su Xuan. I think you and Shen Chao must be good friends.”

Su Xuan blushed deeply from the compliment. He felt Shen Chao’s mother really knew how to talk.

His face burned as he was teased by such a beautiful woman who looked so much like Shen Chao. He could barely form words and just shook his head frantically.

Shen Mengshu rested her chin on her hands and looked at Su Xuan, beaming. “You’re very cute, Su Xuan. How did you and Shen Chao become friends, such a cute person?”

Su Xuan scratched his head. “…It’s not like that. Mostly I’m annoying and keep bothering him.”

Shen Mengshu smiled. “Hey, does he think you’re annoying too? He says I’m annoying too. See, I don’t even dare visit him openly on set for fear he’ll get angry and hate me. I have to sneak over to chat with you. Do you think I’m annoying?”

Su Xuan shook his head frantically. “No, no!”

Shen Mengshu continued, “Then would you be willing to share some things about Shen Chao on set? You know he doesn’t like to talk. Like how he got injured, how he acts, why he insisted on coming to the set a few days ago—”

“—and, he has someone he likes. I want to know who it is.”

Su Xuan’s hand trembled involuntarily. He looked up in shock. “He likes someone?!”

Shen Mengshu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, still smiling. “I want to know too. He seems to like this person very much, hiding all the information carefully. He’s never been like this before—he even gets angry when I ask. But forgive me as a mother, I’m just too curious.”

“Do you know who it is?”

Su Xuan fidgeted with his nails, trying to smile but failing. “When… did Shen Chao start liking someone? Maybe I can help think.”

Shen Mengshu’s smile became meaningful. “I noticed he had someone he liked around when he was eighteen… But recently, in the hospital, he kept looking at his chat screen. Though his expression didn’t show it, I know him well—I can feel it. He really cares about the person on the other end.”

Eighteen… Su Xuan blinked, his head lowering. So Shen Chao already liked someone back then?!

Damn, his confession—Su Xuan was mortified beyond belief. He wanted to cover his face and dig a hole into the ground.

His fingers almost dug into his nails. He remembered that in the hospital, he had to wait a long time for a reply from Shen Chao, even though the typing indicator kept showing. Now thinking about it, maybe Shen Chao was replying to someone else?

Su Xuan’s head dropped lower. He didn’t want Shen’s mother to see his expression—it probably wasn’t pretty. His voice came out a bit hoarse. “…Is that so? I don’t really know who Shen Chao likes.”

Shen Mengshu switched the hand supporting her chin and looked at Su Xuan with a smile. “Has Shen Chao done anything strange recently? Like acting weird toward someone?”

Yes, Shen Chao had suddenly distanced himself from him. But Su Xuan already had an explanation.

Shen Chao had someone he liked, so he wanted to keep a safe distance from Su Xuan—the clingy, shameless guy who touted himself as the actor closest to him on set. It made sense, but Su Xuan had gotten too close to Shen Chao and had forgotten the heartbreak of four years ago when Shen Chao had deliberately distanced himself.

Su Xuan felt he never learned from his mistakes.

He blinked, feeling his lashes wet. “No.”

Shen Mengshu sighed regretfully. “Not on set? I thought this person would be on set.”

Su Xuan fell silent.

Shen Mengshu smiled leisurely. “Su Xuan, why are you crying? Did I say something to make you cry?”

Su Xuan grabbed the tissue and wiped his face frantically. “No, no! It’s just the wind!”

As he wiped his face, Shen Mengshu suddenly said, “Su Xuan, you look very sad. When Shen Chao said he couldn’t be with that person, he looked just as sad as you.”

She handed another tissue to the stunned Su Xuan and tilted her head with a smile. “You and Shen Chao—have you both been dumped?”

Su Xuan stared blankly at Shen Mengshu, but she didn’t seem to realize what she had just said. Instead, her gaze drifted to the cold, bitten corn on the table. Her voice was soft and gentle.

“I came to find out who could make Shen Chao fall in love and then get dumped. Who is this person? How excellent must they be to make Shen Chao willingly suffer for so long?”

Shen Mengshu lowered her eyes, looking at the corn. Red spots of an allergic reaction had appeared on her hand. “To him, this person is like an allergy. He knows he can’t eat or touch it, but he can’t help taking bite after bite, swallowing, trying to prove he has possessed a part of the other.”

“Su Xuan, did Shen Chao ever tell you he’s allergic to corn?”

“I… I didn’t know…” Su Xuan’s heart raced, still dazed that Shen Chao could be rejected and dumped. “Next time, I won’t give him any.”

Someone actually made Shen Chao heartbroken…

Su Xuan grew more dejected. Corn was his favorite food, but Shen Chao was allergic… He shouldn’t have accepted it out of politeness. Knowing this made Su Xuan feel even worse.

Shen Mengshu sighed slowly, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Su Xuan. “I understand why he got dumped.”

If it were a guy like this, given Shen Chao’s personality, if they ever got together, Shen Chao would probably bite down hard and do anything extreme. This guy would soon run away from Shen Chao’s overwhelming feelings.

Just like she had

Su Xuan walked back to the set dejectedly, carrying a plastic bag of corn. After telling him about Shen Chao’s corn allergy, Shen Mengshu had politely said goodbye and left. Su Xuan was sure she had seen through his feelings for Shen Chao.

He bought a corn for himself to cheer up but couldn’t finish it after one bite.

So he brought it back to feed the set dogs.

He had fed corn to Shen Chao, who was allergic to it, and had boasted about being his best friend on set, only to be caught harboring improper feelings—Su Xuan just wanted to stab himself with a corncob.

On the way back, someone stuck out a leg and tripped him. Su Xuan turned around woodenly. It was Yan Gang.

He had tripped Su Xuan on purpose. Yan Gang frowned at him. “You… what’s wrong?”

Su Xuan wailed, “After four years, I’ve been dumped again by the same person, unrequitedly.”

Yan Gang: “…”

Yan Gang raised an eyebrow. “That phrasing makes you sound like a simp.”

Su Xuan, sobbing, handed the corn to Yan Gang. “I was going to feed this to the dogs. Since you call me a simp, you can have it.”

Yan Gang: “…”

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