The Movie Emperor Thought He Was Very Well-Behaved

Si You had originally planned to air out the bedsheets after waking up, but the moment he opened his eyes, he heard the patter of rain.

No way...

He climbed up quietly without even putting on his shoes. Walking to the window, he pulled the curtains open slightly. A fine drizzle hung outside, but judging from how soaked the ground was, it had probably rained for most of the night.

Looks like I'll have to trouble Jiang Tingxu for a few more days, Si You thought.

"What time is it?" Jiang Tingxu's voice was exceptionally low as he turned over to face Si You.

"Seven thirty." Si You lowered his voice. "It's raining outside, so today's task will probably be delayed. You should sleep a little longer."

"I'm already awake." Jiang Tingxu sat up.

Hearing that, Si You pulled the curtains open.

Jiang Tingxu narrowed his eyes slightly. Even with a mess of bedhead, he was unreasonably handsome. He pointed at Si You and said, "Put your shoes on. Are you over your cold?"

Si You obediently slipped into his slippers and ducked into the bathroom.

Jiang Tingxu thought of Si You's peerlessly arrogant manner during the livestream. He seemed like a completely different person now, yet the two sides somehow fit together perfectly.

Many younger artists acted reserved, respectful, or even infatuated around Jiang Tingxu. He had seen it often enough to grow used to it. But Si You kept himself contained, and Jiang Tingxu felt he handled the balance extremely well.

Nonsense. Only Si You, who had seen the world, could remain so composed. If it had been anyone else, reborn in another world only to fall straight into a desperate situation, they might as well have reincarnated again. Si You was not being obedient, either. He simply mistakenly believed Jiang Tingxu cared a great deal about his cold. They were still filming a show, after all. It would be bad if he infected anyone.

So Si You did whatever he was told and cooperated fully.

Just as Si You had expected, the production team sent word that the task would begin after the rain stopped. While Jiang Tingxu went to wash up, Si You checked his phone and found a message from his manager, Yuan Fei.

[A keyboard company wants you to put up a shopping cart. Want to take it?]

Without even thinking, Si You replied: [No, Brother Yuan.]

He had put up peaches because he had the ability to help the old man sell some. But he was an artist, not a livestream salesperson. Once he went down that path, it would be hard to turn back. To be honest, Si You did not think much of the small endorsement fee. It was not worth sacrificing the reputation he had only just begun to build.

Yuan Fei had not expected Si You to refuse so decisively, and he was somewhat pleased. He could vaguely grasp Si You's true thinking: if he wanted to turn things around, he had to do what he was doing now and let his ability speak for itself. Selling products was the lowest of low options.

Not bad, Yuan Fei thought. He could be taught.

According to the production team, the rain would likely stop after lunch.

Si You finished the bun in his hand in a few bites, planning to visit the old man. But the moment he reached the door, the director stopped him, and the camera shifted away at the same time.

Si You raised an eyebrow slightly. Something was up.

"So, you're going to check on the peaches?" the director asked directly.

"Mm."

"You're alone. How are you going to move and transport several hundred kilograms of goods?" the director asked in a low voice.

"I contacted a delivery company."

"Oh, come on. How many people can they send?"

"Director, just say what you mean."

"It's like this." The director smiled. "Considering that you have limited manpower, and that putting up that shopping cart last night made the trending searches, the higher-ups really appreciated it. They thought our production team could partner with the nearby farmers. We'll handle sales channels and shipping, while they provide the goods. We'll definitely need to promote it afterward and attach the production team's and company's names. What do you think?"

"Oh." Si You suddenly understood. "You're cutting in!"

"Look at you, kid..."

"Haha, I'm just teasing you." Si You's expression became slightly more serious. "But let me ask: will the company take a cut of the sales?"

"It's not even that much money." The director leaned closer and lowered his voice. "What the company wants is the name."

Si You nodded. "Deal."

It was true that without help, it would take him until next month to pack several hundred kilograms of peaches by himself. More importantly, the show's tasks were too intense. He barely had enough time to sleep.

Having gotten the answer he wanted, the director happily went back to make calls.

Si You did not mind at all. He had never been doing this for money in the first place. It could even be said that he had taken on the peach-selling matter on a sudden impulse.

Si You still went to visit the old man, intending to give him a heads-up.

When the old man heard that Si You had sold two hundred kilograms of peaches, he kept asking, "Really?" and "Really?!"

Si You used the simplest language he could to help the old man understand that the production team would assist them in selling the fruit externally. They might need the farmers to hold up banners and take photos together at the end, or something like that. The old man nodded repeatedly. After seeing Si You off, he immediately went to find the other villagers.

Sure enough, by lunchtime, the company had finished the promotional copy and bought a trending search. Several popular artists reposted it, and with the boost from Spring Heartbeat, a hit romance reality show, it immediately received widespread praise. The profits involved were incalculable. Si You could not swallow such a large piece of cake, but he was willing to give it away as a favor. The company appreciated it too, mentioning that Si You had been the initial advocate. Although haters below were still ranting and cursing, it was far better than the previous wall-to-wall abuse. The company had even hired a small number of paid commenters to argue with the haters.

It was quite lively.

Si You glanced through it a few times before closing his phone. Xue Boyu watched him without seeing the slightest change in his expression.

Xue Boyu was simple-minded, and after Si You had looked after him during this period, the unpleasantness from the previous season had long been forgotten. He leaned over familiarly and asked, "Brother Si You, don't you feel anything when you see all those comments online?"

"If I felt something every time, I'd have found a rope and hanged myself long ago. You've got to take life a little easier."

Xue Boyu nodded. "Mm!"

At present, Zhang Jianlin's group had the least supplies. The breakfasts and ingredients they could exchange for were all the most basic kinds. But Jiang Yao seemed to have undergone some sort of transformation. Compared with Zhang Jianlin's faint unease, she looked calm and composed. Her fans, too, went from initial worry to becoming much steadier, leaving comments that their Yao Yao had grown up.

With such a huge "idol" like Si You standing right there, Jiang Yao thought it over carefully and decided there was nothing to be afraid of.

Soon, the production team came out to announce the task—

The guests had to carry ten kilograms of rice or flour to a mountain three kilometers away and exchange it for an equivalent value of cured pork or mountain goods. This was one way the local farmers lived. The people up in the mountains raised pigs, made cured meat, and gathered mountain goods, but because of the terrain, they could not grow wheat or rice. So whenever it was market day, they brought down their stored goods to exchange for rice and flour. The reward for the task was this: whoever completed the exchange first would receive the highest payment.

In fact, even though market day had just ended, the mountain residents still had a great demand for rice and flour. Exchanging them would not be a problem. The problem was climbing the mountain! The winding, rugged paths were steep, and after the rain, the entire climb would be a massive drain on their stamina!

The production team really never acted like human beings.

And this time, every guest was required to participate.

Song Yalin and Jiang Yao swiftly changed into their most comfortable hiking boots.

Just as Si You was about to hoist the basket of rice onto his back, Jiang Tingxu gently pushed him aside.

"I'll do it."

Si You hurriedly said, "Then let me take over when you get tired."

But after walking three kilometers and reaching the foot of the mountain, the first person to look exhausted and miserable was Xue Boyu.

"Oh my god..." Xue Boyu pursed his lips as he looked at the mountain path.

[Wuwuwu, my Boyu, this is way too hard on him.]

[So dramatic! Everyone else can do it, but Xue Boyu can't?]

[If you don't know the situation, then shut up, okay? Boyu has always had a back injury.]

Although Xue Boyu had acted in several dramas, his main focus was singing and dancing. The Xue Household had seen how much he loved it from childhood and had carefully nurtured him all along, planning to spend heavily after Xue Boyu finished Spring Heartbeat and make him the center of a boy group. But people who sang and danced for a long time inevitably developed some problems, especially those who pushed themselves particularly hard. There had been a fairly famous singing-and-dancing star before who switched to behind-the-scenes work at twenty-five because he had too many waist and leg injuries and truly could not endure it anymore. Only those who sought the truth could taste that bitterness.

[Wuwuwu, He Qing, when are you coming back?]

Si You stepped forward and beckoned lightly at Xue Boyu. "Give it to me first."

Xue Boyu said, "No, no need!"

"Don't." Si You directly took it off his shoulder. "I'm worried you'll lose your footing and fall later, and then I'll have to pull you up."

Xue Boyu: "..." Why did that sound so familiar?

[Hehe, isn't Si You just trying to suck up to Xue Boyu? Pathetic!]

The haters seized the opportunity to stir trouble.

Xue Boyu's fans had already been holding back. Seeing this, they no longer wanted to endure it.

[Even if he is sucking up to him, at least Si You actually stepped in to help. We haven't said anything, so what are you yapping about?]

[Just saying, it's only a matter of time before Si You's haters keep getting slapped in the face. Haven't Horror Livestream and Piano Room Challenge taught you anything yet? You insulted him for not knowing how to do this or that, but what happened? He practically dumped a full imperial feast on your heads.]

[Whoever helps Boyu, I'll support them. That's how unreasonable I am.]

The group headed up the mountain. Without grabbing onto the plants beside the path, they would slip once every three steps. The cameramen carrying the equipment had come prepared, wearing soccer cleats. They left solid prints with every step, then stood higher up and grinned down at them.

Even Jiang Tingxu felt a little like hitting someone.

"Brother Si You, are you tired? Should I take it back?" Xue Boyu asked, extremely embarrassed as he hovered around Si You.

"Watch where you're walking." Si You said, "Save your strength. We may have to climb even higher."

"Okay!"

They were lucky. The first household they came across had an auntie stepping outside to pour out water, and she waved at them.

"Jiang, the Movie Emperor, you..." Si You had barely opened his mouth when Zhang Jianlin had already strode toward her.

Si You sighed.

But when the auntie saw Zhang Jianlin, she shook her head. Then her gaze jumped past him and landed on... Jiang Tingxu.

Everyone: "..."

Si You teased, "Movie Emperor, is that one of your fans?"

Jiang Tingxu looked at him. "Do farmers out here have time to follow celebrities?"

No, but that did not stop the auntie from choosing the handsome one.

Si You held back a laugh, thinking this man really was incredibly charming—and the auntie had excellent taste.

Zhang Jianlin stood to the side with an awkward expression.

"I'll go look farther up with Boyu," Si You said.

Jiang Tingxu gave a soft "Mm." "All right. Don't go too far."

Xue Boyu truly treated Si You like an older brother now. He could tell whether someone was motivated purely by profit. Without the ten kilograms of rice weighing him down, Xue Boyu moved quickly, eager to find farmers and exchange the goods as soon as possible.

Si You followed slowly behind him. To be honest, carrying it for so long was tiring, but he could not show it.

"Brother Si You! There are several households up there!" Xue Boyu jumped up excitedly.

"I'm coming. Watch the road." Si You emphasized, "The vegetation around here is thick, so don't..."

Before he could finish, Si You's relaxed attention snapped taut in an instant.

Xue Boyu had clearly stepped into empty space. His entire body tilted backward, a faintly confused look still on his face. Si You did not even know how fast he moved. Though they had been four or five meters apart, he threw away the rice basket and leaped forward, catching Xue Boyu's wrist just in time.

But the force of a grown man falling was simply too great. Si You only had time to turn his head, and for the first time, he saw what true panic looked like on Jiang Tingxu's calm, composed face. Accompanied by Jiang Yao's scream, Si You and Xue Boyu vanished into a mass of green shrubs and vines, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

As they tumbled down without knowing east from west, Si You's back slammed hard against a thick tree branch. His vision immediately went black.