"All right, all right, all right."
"I know you two aren't dating. Go easy on me—please spare me!"
In Hu Ge's private lounge, Zhang Yang and Liu Shishi joined forces to teach him a lesson.
Some jokes simply weren't safe to make lightly. They could easily come back to bite you.
"Old Hu, you really are asking for a beating." Liu Shishi playfully waved a fist. A hint of amusement touched her pretty, if somewhat understated, face, like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley.
She didn't give off a fiery, hot-tempered vibe. Instead, she made people feel that all was peaceful and well, and that it would be a shame to disturb it.
"You know I wouldn't date a man younger than me." Liu Shishi suddenly added, though her tone sounded as if she were emphasizing it for someone in particular.
Zhang Yang glanced at her almost imperceptibly and thought, One day, you'll be eating those words.
A smile appeared on his handsome face. Following Liu Shishi's lead, he chimed in, "Old Hu, I do like older women—after all, a woman three years older brings a fortune. But I couldn't make a move on someone I know too well."
Liu Shishi turned to look at Zhang Yang, her brows drawing together slightly.
Maybe it was just her imagination, but she felt there was more to his words than met the eye.
Before she could think it over, Hu Ge spoke up with a mocking laugh. "Do you think I don't know you two?"
"Neither of you has ever dated anyone, and you have zero experience. You're standing here telling me who you do and don't like. Isn't that hilarious?"
Zhang Yang: "..."
All right. You've got a death wish.
Hu Ge's teasing didn't make him feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Before he was reborn, he'd been with more beautiful women than the female actors Old Hu had worked with.
His parents' divorce had hurt him deeply, and he'd ended up rejecting marriage altogether. Naturally, he'd been free to do as he pleased.
But he didn't care. Liu Shishi, who was more sensitive about such things, certainly did.
"You're dead!"
Liu Shishi grabbed the script Zhang Yang had left beside him and chased after Hu Ge.
Zhang Yang watched the show for a while, then stepped in at just the right moment. "Sister Shishi, Old Hu's skin is so thick. What's the point of hitting him?"
"Make him treat us to a big meal. That'll hurt him where it counts—his wallet."
Liu Shishi stopped and gave Zhang Yang a thumbs-up. "That's a good idea. What do you say?"
The second half was naturally directed at Hu Ge.
"How could I possibly object?" Hu Ge was a joker, too. He put on a frightened expression and said pitifully, "Little sis, you decide."
Liu Shishi didn't hesitate. She picked a nearby Western restaurant she often visited with friends. It wasn't cheap, but for top stars with their earning power, it was nothing much.
The three of them set off together. Hu Ge and Liu Shishi were both fully disguised, afraid someone might recognize them.
In the elevator, Zhang Yang looked at the two of them and suddenly stared blankly.
Hu Ge happened to notice his expression and clearly got the wrong idea. "A'Yang, don't be fooled by our fame and fortune. We've lost our freedom. If we want to travel or take a vacation, we can only go abroad."
Zhang Yang: "..."
Was he bragging while pretending to complain?
"If you want your freedom, you can leave the industry," Liu Shishi retorted mildly. Then she turned to Zhang Yang and spoke warmly. "A'Yang, you don't need to envy Old Hu. You've got better looks than he does. Star in a few more dramas, and you'll definitely become more famous than him."
Liu Shishi wasn't just trying to comfort him.
Maybe Zhang Yang had been too young before, and hadn't grown into his looks yet. He was handsome, but still boyish, and didn't stand out much among the other good-looking men in the entertainment industry.
Now, though, he was handsome at first glance and had a unique air about him. He was also the kind of man who looked better the longer you looked at him.
He was a classic case of someone born with the looks and talent—he just needed the right opportunity.
Besides, Zhang Yang had a good grasp of his craft.
"I'll take that as a blessing, Sister Shishi." Zhang Yang smiled, then put on an arrogant air and looked at Old Hu. "Sister Shishi's judgment can't be wrong. One day, you'll be begging me for help."
"You're pretty cocky, junior." Hu Ge moved beside Zhang Yang and suddenly took his hand. "Your big brother is going to be counting on you from now on."
Liu Shishi: ?
"Then I won't hold back at lunch." Zhang Yang looked thoroughly pleased. "Little Hu, I'll make sure to give you a hand when the time comes."
"Thanks, Brother Yang. Brother Yang, you're the best," Hu Ge flattered him.
Then the two exchanged a look and broke into wicked laughter, as if they'd just completed some kind of shady deal.
Liu Shishi: "..."
Men really were a strange species.
Still, she felt a little envious of the bond between them.
The friendships she had with her girlfriends weren't reliable at all.
Before long, the three of them arrived at the restaurant and settled into a private room. Hu Ge waved a hand and told them to order whatever they wanted.
Although Zhang Yang and Liu Shishi had joked around a lot, they didn't actually take advantage of Hu Ge. They just ordered steak, salad, and drinks, while Zhang Yang also added a serving of pasta.
Hu Ge wanted to order red wine, too, but the other two came up with excuses to turn him down.
Halfway through the meal, Hu Ge got a call from his agent. He apologized, then left ahead of them.
Though Liu Shishi and Zhang Yang knew each other fairly well, this was their first time eating together alone. She was clearly a little awkward.
Zhang Yang didn't feel particularly uncomfortable. He was happy to admire the beauty across from him, and he could tell she wasn't at ease.
He understood women. He knew that if he didn't make a good impression while they were alone together, he might not get another chance.
But if things went well, Liu Shishi might even ask him out for a meal herself in the future.
It was like sex: there were only zero times, once, and countless times.
"Sister Shishi, I heard Uncle Long was your childhood idol. When you worked with him on Scarlet Heart, did it feel like a dream come true?" Zhang Yang asked, bringing up a new topic.
"Uncle Long?" Liu Shishi didn't understand at first. After a moment, she suddenly laughed, her eyes bright and sparkling. She covered her mouth as she asked, "You mean Nicky Wu?"
"Yeah." Zhang Yang nodded. "He was your childhood idol, and you worked with him on Scarlet Heart. Who else could it be?"
"You really know a lot." Liu Shishi propped her chin up with one hand and stirred her coffee with the other. Then she said, "But shouldn't you call him Brother Long?"
Back when they were filming Scarlet Heart, everyone had called Nicky Wu either "Brother Long" or "Teacher Nicky Wu." She'd gotten used to it.
"Brother Long?" Zhang Yang looked conflicted. "He's a whole me older than I am. Wouldn't it be weird to call him 'brother'? It'd make it seem like I was trying to get close to him."
Liu Shishi: "..."
Nicky Wu was born in 1970, Zhang Yang in 1990, and it was now 2011.
He really was a whole him older.
"You have a way with words." Liu Shishi laughed, her hand pausing mid-stir. "As for whether it felt like a dream come true, not really. I'm not exactly a fan of Nicky Wu himself. I just like a few of the characters he's played."
"Got it." Zhang Yang pretended to understand. "It's like how I like Long Kui and Mu Nianci, but I only respect you, Sister Shishi."
Liu Shishi: "...Respect?"
You really knew how to apply what you'd learned!
Before you continue