Cutting in

The restaurant Xie Zhitan had found was on the shopping street just outside Imperial University.

At lunchtime, every restaurant was packed.

Hua Jian wasn't particularly hungry. After walking around, he went into a nicely decorated café with fewer customers.

The sign outside said they were serving pizza and a surprise dessert that afternoon.

The surprise dessert was avocado Basque cheesecake, and the photo looked exquisite and tempting.

Hua Jian liked trying new things, so finding something he had never eaten before delighted him. Unfortunately, that delight didn't last long.

Ding.

As more customers entered, the little bell above the café door rang again.

Hua Jian had just scanned the QR code and placed his order when he heard a smarmy, exaggerated voice. "Well, well, who's this? Why, it's our famous Young Master Hua."

Hua Jian let out an almost imperceptible sigh.

I'm not even the protagonist. Why do I run into people like this wherever I go?

Ever since losing face in the cafeteria, Liu Yuze had been itching to get even with Hua Jian.

But for the past two weeks, Hua Jian had arrived and left right on time for his classes, and Liu Yuze hadn't managed to corner him once.

Seeing him sitting alone in the café now, his eyes filled with malice.

"Young Master Feng, look. I told you it was Hua Jian."

Feng Qian?

Hua Jian looked up at the man the original owner of his body had liked.

The last time he had seen him was on the day he had first entered the novel, when Feng Qian and Shu Yan had caught him supposedly cheating at the hotel. Amid the chaos, Hua Jian hadn't gotten a good look.

Now that he looked again, Feng Qian really wasn't much to look at.

He had a small forehead and a low hairline, yet insisted on wearing bangs like a male celebrity.

The first impression he gave was that he had a wig on his head.

It actually distracted people from his face.

Meanwhile, Feng Qian shot Hua Jian a disgusted glance.

Hua Jian had pursued him for months, yet he didn't even know what Hua Jian's face looked like beneath his glasses and bangs.

He liked men like Shu Yan: aristocratic, handsome, tasteful, and commanding.

Being liked by a boring, utterly worthless piece of trash like Hua Jian disgusted Feng Qian.

If Shu Yan hadn't said they needed to use Hua Jian to ruin Shu Yao, he wouldn't have bothered.

Feng Qian would never have let Hua Jian attend his birthday party.

Remembering what had happened at Haiping Hotel irritated him even more. "Why bother with a toad like him? Let's eat somewhere else. What rotten luck."

Hua Jian lowered his eyes slightly and said nothing, but Liu Yuze's eyes lit up.

"Young Master Feng, Hua Jian likes you so much. Be a little nicer to him. Look at him now. He really looks like a dog nobody wants."

"Haha, speaking of which, Hua Jian actually acted like a dog to make Young Master Feng happy."

"What dog?"

"Hua Jian barked like a dog. That-"

Feng Qian whipped his head around. "Do you have a death wish? What the hell are you talking about?!"

Liu Yuze hurriedly said, "Young Master Feng isn't into that kind of vulgar amusement. Besides, Young Master Shu hates dogs more than anything. We mustn't bring that up again."

Hua Jian gently rubbed the fingers of his right hand together, never lifting his head.

Finding his silence boring, the others followed Feng Qian out.

The café suddenly quieted down, and Hua Jian muttered to himself.

"Look at the kind of guy you fell for. I have nothing against gay people, but you're tall and handsome. How did you end up liking Feng Qian?"

"Forget it. I'll let you save a little face and leave him alone this time. But if he gets in my face looking for attention again, I won't go easy on him."

After he sighed a couple of times, a server brought his food.

A sizzling steak, a pizza, a bowl of vegetable salad, a slice of Basque cheesecake, and a latte.

It was a haphazard assortment, yet somehow fairly ordinary.

After all the commotion that afternoon, Hua Jian couldn't help breathing in the aroma and murmuring, "This is happiness."

On the other side of the café.

At one table, the atmosphere between two customers was tense enough to snap.

The younger man looked anxious. "President Liu, we agreed I would have a sixty-percent share, but this contract..."

The middle-aged man smiled. "Cheng, I have to say something here. You've been in this industry for years. How do you still not understand?

"You may have brought the script, but directors and actors are a dime a dozen these days. What good is your little bit of fame?

"Jiayuan has to handle all the arrangements and shoulder all the risks. How could you take sixty percent?"

"But my script won an award. Fengxin even offered ten million for it..."

"That's exactly why I'm saying you don't understand. If Fengxin offered ten million, why didn't you just sell it to them?

"Wasn't it because you wanted to film it yourself? But you've offended Fengxin. Who would dare work with you?

"Jiayuan Entertainment is the only company willing to lend you a hand now."

The middle-aged man grew more confident as he spoke, his shrewd eyes urging him on.

"All right, Cheng. Hurry up and sign. A million is already plenty. Don't you still need money to pay for your hospitalized mother's surgery?"

Cheng's expression darkened, and his hands clenched tightly beneath the table.

Just as the middle-aged man was growing impatient, he finally reached for the pen beside him.

"Excuse me, are you Director Cheng Ruimu?"

Hearing someone call his name, Cheng Ruimu looked up abruptly. "Yes, I am."

Annoyed that the signing had been interrupted, the middle-aged man snapped, "Can't you see we're discussing business? Whatever you want, come back later."

Cheng Ruimu remained silent. Jiayuan's offer was far too low this time. They were blatantly taking advantage of his plight.

"I'm sorry, President Liu, but I need to think it over. Jiayuan Entertainment's offer of a million for a buyout is far too different from the sixty-percent share we agreed on."

President Liu shot to his feet and barked coldly, "Cheng, what is this supposed to mean? Are you trying to make a fool of Jiayuan?

"You offended Fengxin. If Jiayuan hadn't given you a chance, nobody would dare take a script like yours even for free!"

Anger welled up in Cheng Ruimu's eyes. This script was the product of his blood, sweat, and tears. It meant something deeply important to him!

Even if it made no money, he wouldn't allow anyone to adapt it beyond recognition.

That was why he had rejected Fengxin's ten-million buyout offer.

And offended Fengxin in the process.

"President Liu, you've gone too far!"

"Too far? Fengxin has already announced they're blacklisting you. Let's see who dares save you without Jiayuan!"

Despair filled Cheng Ruimu. If he couldn't get the money today, he wouldn't be able to book his mother's surgery. Then his mother...

"Um, Cheng Ruimu, if you don't mind, I can introduce you to President Lu of Xiteng Entertainment," Hua Jian said sincerely, looking at the contract in Cheng Ruimu's hand. "A garbage contract like this is better left unsigned."

President Liu's expression changed. He stared at Hua Jian in suspicion and alarm. "Xiteng Entertainment? What nonsense are you spouting? Xiteng Entertainment belongs to Lu Zexi. How could someone like you possibly know him?"

Hua Jian straightened up. President Liu's lips moved, but no words came out. He involuntarily backed away, then tripped and dropped back into his seat.

This gloomy, utterly unremarkable young man was far too tall!

"How I know President Lu is none of your business.

"As far as I know, the wife of Jiayuan's largest shareholder has the surname Feng-the same Feng as in Fengxin Entertainment. Am I wrong?"

Cheng Ruimu's pupils contracted. He turned to President Liu in disbelief. "President Liu, is what he said true?"

President Liu's face alternated between pale and livid. "Cheng Ruimu, I have no idea what bullshit he's talking about. But if you don't sign today, Jiayuan Entertainment will never work with you again. Decide for yourself!"

President Liu left cursing, without even paying the bill.

Hua Jian checked the time. "Let's add each other on WeChat first, Cheng. We can talk properly when we have time. There's some money on this card. Not much, but it should cover your mother's surgery."

Cheng Ruimu pressed his lips together. "What new kind of scam is this?"

Hua Jian smiled and held up his phone for him to scan.

"My name is Hua Jian. I'm a second-year student in Imperial University's art department. I once had the good fortune to read your script, and I admired it very much."

"Someone as talented as you shouldn't be trapped by Jiayuan's petty tricks."

Cheng Ruimu looked at the QR code before him, deeply hesitant.

When Fengxin had driven him into a corner, Jiayuan had extended an olive branch and claimed they were willing to help.

He had been so grateful he had even thought it wouldn't matter if he signed his life away to Jiayuan Entertainment.

As long as he could keep making his own films.

But now, the man before him was telling him that Jiayuan and Fengxin had merely set a trap together.

He trusted no one now, least of all a man who had suddenly appeared offering him money.

Cheng Ruimu sighed and looked up, about to turn Hua Jian down.

"I'm sorry..."

[Cheng Ruimu really is stubborn. If I hadn't been here to stop him from signing today, that Liu guy would have taken his script immediately without paying him a cent.]

[Poor Cheng Ruimu. He was such a devoted son, but he couldn't pay for his mother's surgery. The delay cost her her life.]

Hearing his voice, Hua Jian put aside his recollections and lowered his gaze to him. "What is it?"

Cheng Ruimu's mouth was painfully dry.

Ding!

Cheng Ruimu's phone suddenly rang. It was a familiar landline number.

"Hello, this is Cheng Ruimu!"

"Mr. Cheng, Professor Zhang happens to be at the hospital today. If you pay the outstanding fees now, he's willing to operate on your mother.

"Professor Zhang is leaving for an exchange program in Country M and won't be back for three years. This is your last chance. Mr. Cheng? Hello? Mr. Cheng? Are you still listening?"

Cheng Ruimu stared at Hua Jian in disbelief. Had everything this man just said been true?

His stare startled Hua Jian. "Are you all right?"

Cheng Ruimu pressed a hand over his racing heart and looked intently at Hua Jian as he told the person on the phone, "I'll come over and pay right now. Thank you."

Hua Jian raised an eyebrow. "Is your mother all right?"

Cheng Ruimu hung up and immediately scanned Hua Jian's QR code. "Thank you, Mr. Hua," he said solemnly. "If you trust me, please draw up a contract. Once I've handled things at the hospital, I'll come see you to sign it."

Hua Jian accepted his friend request and rubbed his nose. "Then we'll discuss it when you have time. There's four hundred thousand on the card. That should be enough. If it isn't, come to me again, and I'll figure something out."

"The PIN is 010209."

Cheng Ruimu stopped agonizing over it, took the card, and hurried away.

"Sir, about the bill for this table..." the server asked awkwardly from beside him.

Hua Jian winced at the expense. "I'll pay it too."

The server looked relieved.

Hua Jian trudged out of the café, utterly deflated, only to be bumped into by several men at the entrance.

"Fuck, are you blind?"

"Enough. Hurry up. If that Cheng guy teams up with someone else, we'll all be in deep shit!"

"What are you afraid of? He has nowhere left to turn. Who would dare take him on?"

As the voices behind him faded, Hua Jian lightly brushed the spot they had bumped and said helplessly, "My life really is miserable. I'm broke again. Where am I supposed to get some money?"