What Kind of Cao Thief Is He, Anyway?

Yanjing Film Academy.

Bai Youlou and Old Zhou's alma mater.

The two of them were textbook examples of people neglecting their proper pursuits. Both had studied directing, yet one had gone off to become an idol and make a living off his looks, while the other had become an agent halfway through.

At the same time, it could be said that neither of them was doing particularly well. Under normal circumstances, people in their situation would probably feel too embarrassed to return to their alma mater.

It was just like attending a class reunion. Who among those doing poorly would want to lose face in front of their old classmates and former teachers?

Fortunately, the two of them had no shame.

Squatting arrogantly on the curb along one of the school's internal roads, the pair had come prepared to shamelessly call in favors, yet they were feeling rather troubled.

This was what happened when you never worshipped at the shrine until you were in desperate need of help.

They searched through their phones again and again, but surprisingly, they couldn't find the contact information of any reliable teachers.

Now that they were at the school, they had no idea whom to look for.

After discussing it for a while, they finally decided to carry their shameless spirit through to the end.

They would go straight to the department director.

They had just checked the school's official website on their phones. The current director of the directing department had taught both of them, so there was at least a little bit of old familiarity between them.

Old Zhou still hadn't completely abandoned his principles and hesitated a little. What if they got thrown out? How embarrassing would that be?

After pondering for quite some time, he suddenly had an idea. "Hey, didn't you fail to do your graduation project?"

Bai Youlou was stunned.

Brilliant!

How had he never thought of such an outrageous excuse himself?

"I hate people who don't do their homework more than anything! I absolutely mustn't do something like that!"

His words were forceful and impassioned.

However, half an hour later, inside the director's office of the directing department—

The current director, He Youyu, was looking at the two bastards he had once taught with a complicated expression.

What a coincidence. Just yesterday, he had sighed over how these two posed no threat whatsoever to him in academia, yet could ruin his reputation in the education world.

Especially Bai Youlou! What kind of Cao thief was he?

But after reading that script, He Youyu's mood became even more complicated. He could only console himself that people involved in art weren't held to such high standards in matters of private morality.

It was common for young men to be unable to resist the temptation of bad women.

Who in the arts hadn't had a few wild and uninhibited romances when they were young?

The excuse of needing help with a graduation project was simply too outrageous.

Still, the fact that these two could say it with such thick faces was a talent in itself.

Having a thick skin certainly counted as a talent. These days, artists should talk about art only after they had eaten their fill.

In the end, he let out an exasperated sigh:

"You two really are a pair of Wolong and Fengchu!"

—

Director He wasn't omnipotent. He couldn't fill out every remaining part of Bai Youlou's film crew in a matter of minutes.

He could help them rent locations at a low price through the school, contact the music academy and find some students to act in the film, and lend them the school's equipment.

All right, that was honestly a great deal of help already.

But the most important issue—the main roles—was beyond his ability to solve, too.

He did help Bai Youlou contact an actor who was fairly suitable, but the matter fell through when the man simply said, "Sorry, Director He. I really don't have any room in my schedule."

In the end, for the crucial role of the second male lead, Bai Youlou and Zhou Chongguang could only find a way themselves.

Still, this was the only difficult problem left.

The entire process went so smoothly that it was almost unbelievable.

The cold looks and sarcastic remarks Old Zhou had initially feared—those clichéd third-rate webnovel scenes—never appeared at all.

Director He hadn't tried to pull any cruel stunt just because the two of them were doing poorly and Bai Youlou's reputation was terrible, nor had he given them some chance to play out a "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west" comeback story.

The sorrowful indignation of "never look down on a young man just because he's poor" had been utterly crushed beneath the care of their alma mater.

After leaving Director He's office, the two exchanged a look, their hearts full of emotion.

There were still more good people in the world than bad!

Then they began commercially praising each other.

Old Zhou said with admiration, "Not bad, not bad! I was worried that after going crazy, you'd act arrogant and unruly toward everyone you met. You knew exactly when to advance and retreat, and you spoke neither obsequiously nor arrogantly. I could see nothing but admiration and regret in Director He's eyes when he looked at you!"

"Not at all, not at all. Your skill at sucking up is the truly profound one. Every pat landed at exactly the right spot—you made Director He so comfortable he nearly died."

"You flatter me, you flatter me. The way you bent over to show your respect was what truly taught me the meaning of human relations!"

"Not so, not so. Your subtle expressions just now were the killing move. That pitiful look, as if you were about to cry but not quite crying, was genuinely endearing."

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Your skill at putting a tall hat on someone is superior. It was truly breathtaking!"

"..."

After several rounds, both of them felt that the other was a worthy opponent.

This round could be considered a draw.

In such a situation, with two people appreciating one another, they naturally had to continue the wonderful atmosphere.

Thus, Bai Youlou and Old Zhou tacitly lit cigarettes and leaned against the corridor to watch the girls.

A film academy was the sort of place where attractive men and women were everywhere. That was basic common knowledge.

The two hooligan upperclassmen now scrutinized the female students passing by.

This one had a bit of a plastic-surgery face. No good.

This one's legs were a little short.

This one was too "well endowed." Even worse.

Holy crap, this one—

A young woman approached them. She wore nothing more than simple everyday clothes: white canvas shoes paired with a fitted long skirt. Though she wore no high heels, she still looked tall and slender. Her strikingly fair, cool-toned skin made her particularly eye-catching among the crowd.

Yet her rounded lips and the tip of her nose carried a hint of childishness. The smile in her brows and eyes gave her a touch of girlish innocence, unconsciously drawing people closer and preventing her from seeming too untouchable.

But when she raised her head, her slightly angular jaw, high nose bridge, and long, slender neck still unleashed her full presence.

She had both the youthful charm of a girl and the elegance of a mature beauty. It was terrifying!

That sense of contrast made people suck in a sharp breath, causing global temperatures to rise.

The moment she appeared, the surrounding sounds seemed to drop several notches for no apparent reason.

They passed one another, and she paused slightly.

The slight astonishment in her eyes told Bai Youlou that she had clearly recognized him, even though he had put on a mask the moment he stepped out of Director He's office.

After all, wearing a mask while smoking was such an absurd thing for Bai Youlou to do that it somehow seemed perfectly natural.

Of course, Bai Youlou knew her as well.

An Luning.

She was a student in the acting department of the film academy. She hadn't graduated yet, but she was already a top-tier actress in the entertainment industry. She had become famous across the country by starring in a TV series at sixteen or seventeen, becoming the dream girl in the hearts of countless boys.

Come to think of it, this girl should have been Bai Youlou's dream girl as well. She had been, before he awakened his memories.

In his memories, he had blushed whenever he first saw her. He had been utterly flustered.

Recalling that time, Bai Youlou didn't feel embarrassed. They were beautiful memories from his youth, after all.

Who didn't have a dream girl?

Of course, that youthful memory had only happened a little over a year ago.

Yet from Bai Youlou's perspective, it felt somewhat like another lifetime.

Seeing the girl again, he naturally didn't blush. He even dared to look her over from head to toe.

Ninety-five points!

She truly was worthy of being the girl he had once pursued.

Likewise, Bai Youlou felt that his previous courage in confessing to her had been incredible.

That was because no one pursued this girl.

Or rather, no one dared to pursue her.

She had become famous too early, was too beautiful, and came from a mysterious family. Instead, she gave people a stark sense of distance. Even though her personality was actually quite good, he had never heard of any boy daring to pursue her. Not only at school—even in the entertainment industry, it seemed the same. She hadn't had the slightest scandal since debuting.

Unless this girl had two faces, then based on Bai Youlou's understanding, he might truly have been the only one reckless enough to charge forward without a care.

Although he hadn't received any response and had seemed a little ridiculous, Bai Youlou now greatly approved of that youthful courage. He even gave it his highest commendation.

Just as expected of me!

Just as he had never blamed his former self for the incident that had ruined his reputation, he didn't think that falling into the trap so easily and taking the blame had made him foolish.

Every mature and weathered soul was forged through repeated trials and blows.

He never cursed his former self, because the version of him standing in the fog back then had been lost, too.