Chapter 24

This way, his fans could hold their heads high too. Let's see who online would dare put him down to praise someone else!

But what if Sheng Ke was a lying bastard who was just making a fool of him?

Then he'd let Zou Yan go argue with him!

Done fantasizing, Xie Yibai lifted the covers to poke his head out and breathe. Heaven had its own arrangements, and worrying wouldn't help. Time to sleep!

That night, he had a strange dream. He dreamed he had become a thumb-sized miniature person, still in his own home, but Little Biscuit didn't recognize him and chased him all over the place, mistaking him for a bug that couldn't fly. He climbed a table leg onto the coffee table and hid in a fruit bowl. Completely exhausted, he lay down on a peach to rest.

Just then, a hand belonging to who knew whom picked up the peach and plucked up his tiny body between two fingers. He struggled to escape, but it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot or an egg striking a rock. In the end, he was tucked into a pitch-black pocket as deep as an abyss.

The dream was so cult and bizarre that Xie Yibai woke with a start after only five hours of sleep. He went to the living room, found the little dachshund fast asleep, and flicked his nose to vent. Then he took a bottle of yogurt from the fridge, drank it in one go to calm his nerves, and went back to bed.

As dawn began to break, he nestled in the soft covers and played on his phone. Looking through his chat history again, he belatedly realized-wasn't Sheng Ke just promising him a pie in the sky?

He really was stupid, happily filling his stomach with a pie in the sky. Luckily, nobody else had seen...

Forget it! He'd treat it as a dream!

Xie Yibai had just woken up, but A Chu hadn't gone to sleep yet. She sent him a picture of his upcoming schedule, with plenty of rest time set aside as he had requested.

As it happened, both today and tomorrow were free, so he could go back to sleep for a few more hours. Dizzy with happiness, he replied, "Thanks for your hard work," and prepared to go back to sleep.

But A Chu typed extremely quickly, and one message put off his sleepiness.

A Chu: You haven't joined a production for almost six months. Your fans are really worried about your career. They tag the studio every day, asking what you're doing and why you aren't working. They say you're not working or even coming out to engage with them, and the few new fans you gained after Jade Steps Ode aired have almost all left.

Xie Yibai was still half asleep and didn't have the energy to type, so he sent a voice message. "I have been working really hard... Tell them not to worry."

A Chu: You haven't had any publicity or leaked set photos for film or TV projects these past few months. A bunch of IPs keep using your full name to string fans along.

He said, "Let them... I'm not going to act in them anyway."

A Chu: ...Forget it. I'll think of a way to reassure them. Go to sleep.

: Make sure you get some rest too.

Xie Yibai tossed his phone aside, pulled a pillow over his head, and fell into a deep sleep.

Things didn't go as he wished. In the end, he didn't get his two days off. As soon as he woke up, he got a call from Yin Ran, who said a script meeting had been scheduled at the last minute and told him to get ready and head out quickly.

The only script he was currently discussing was Beacon Fires West of the City, which Zou Yan had shown him. Today's meeting wasn't at the office, but at Zou Yan's home.

Xie Yibai walked into the courtyard with practiced ease, followed by A Chu in a tracksuit. Her long hair hung loose over her shoulders, and though she wore no makeup, her fresh face was full of energy.

A Chu had stayed up all night and slept only four hours that morning. After getting up, she had done an hour of cardio on an empty stomach, showered and washed her hair, then met up with him carrying an iced Americano.

Xie Yibai conceded defeat to A Chu's stamina and dedication. The pay for an on-the-ground manager wasn't high, so she must really love dealing with artists to be so energetic every day.

"Is this courtyard house rented or owned?" A Chu asked, sipping her coffee and looking around.

"Probably inherited," Xie Yibai said.

A Chu pulled out her phone to take pictures. "That's seriously loaded. Anyone who can become a producer must come from a well-off family, right?"

"I don't know," Xie Yibai told her. "Don't go posting those pictures anywhere."

"Would I dare?" A Chu said with a grin. "I'm just used to being poor and haven't seen much of the world, so I'm taking pictures as a souvenir. Teacher Xiaobai, when are you going to buy one too? Let me stay for a couple of days and see what it's like."

The girl spoke without a filter and dared to say anything, but she was cheerful and lively, and put people in a good mood. Xie Yibai said, "I'll take that as a blessing. Hopefully I can afford one someday."

The two of them walked in, chatting and laughing, and ran right into the owner of the courtyard.

More than a week had passed since the dinner party. The bruises on Zou Yan's face had faded and the scabs had fallen off. That morning, he had gone to the hospital to have his stitches and splint removed, and he had also gotten a new hairstyle to cover the scar at his temple. He looked like a new man, full of vigor.

Xie Yibai gave him a brilliant smile. "Brother Yan, you look handsome today!"

His smile, voice, and appearance were always childlike, giving people the impression that he was sincere and approachable. Zou Yan greeted him. "I was just about to come out and meet you. Come on in. I had the kitchen prepare your favorites."

Xie Yibai said, "Thanks. I haven't had lunch yet, as it happens."

As soon as Zou Yan spotted A Chu, he asked, "Is this your new manager?"

A Chu had done her homework and knew this was her boss's benefactor. She put away her smile and said seriously, "Hello, Mr. Zou. You can call me A Chu."

"The handover can't have been easy, can it? Thank you for all your hard work these past few days," Zou Yan said warmly. "Come on in. There's water and tea inside, and you can order whatever you want to eat."

Xie Yibai recalled that ever since he had met Zou Yan, he had never seen him discouraged, dejected, or unable to recover from a setback. He was always so polished and at ease in his dealings with everyone. He really was someone capable of great things, and Xie Yibai needed to observe him closely and learn.

Just five minutes later, Xie Yibai understood that he couldn't learn it.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw a familiar figure seated with his back to him inside the glass-walled tea room, and immediately wanted to turn around and go home.

Qi Lan, his former colleague and competitor-or, in market terms, his competing product.

They were the same type: similar in age, with similar acting niches and acting skills that were hard to rank. The only difference was that Qi Lan was a tiny bit more popular and had more die-hard fans.

Xie Yibai reflected on his mistake. How had he not thought of this?

Zhaoxi Media, the company Qi Lan had signed with, belonged to Yin Ran. She had also developed and invested in the hit drama Summer Palace, personally creating the top-tier CP Blue Fields Produce Jade. Qi Lan was the "Blue" in it, and an artist she had personally brought up.

It all clicked for Xie Yibai. How had Zou Yan managed to persuade Yin Ran to become his chief manager? By trading resources!

There was no way he would be the only male actor in the web drama Zou Yan was making. There were other roles to fill, and Zou Yan had used them as leverage to persuade Yin Ran to sign him.

The tea room was transparent on all four sides. People outside could look in, and those inside could look out. Xie Yibai spotted Qi Lan, and Qi Lan noticed him too, waving at him through the glass.

They were old acquaintances.

"Brother Yan," Xie Yibai called to the figure ahead of him, "there's something I want to talk to you about in private."

Zou Yan turned around and read something in his hesitant expression. "All right. I was just about to go back to my room for something. Come with me. A Chu, go inside and have a seat first."

Xie Yibai followed Zou Yan through the winding corridors into a building with flowers planted all along its entrance. Inside were three rooms-a small living room, a study, and a bedroom-with a private bathroom. It was where Zou Yan lived.

There was a safe in Zou Yan's study. He told Xie Yibai to look around as he pleased, then crouched in front of the safe and turned the combination lock to open it. He took out several boxes, stacked them in his arms, set them on the desk, and opened them in a row.

"Xiaobai, come here."

Xie Yibai was watching the fish in the living room and only entered the study when he heard him call.

"I got all these watches from auction houses. I haven't worn any of them once. Do you like any?" Like someone showing off treasures, Zou Yan invited him to sit down and take his pick.

From Patek Philippe to Cartier, Vacheron Constantin to Rolex, there was everything.

Xie Yibai picked up a relatively inexpensive Van Cleef & Arpels watch, examined it for two seconds, then put it back in its box. "I already told you I don't want one."

His expression and tone were less than happy. Zou Yan thought he had misjudged his tastes and failed to give him something he liked, so he changed his mind. "Shall I take you to buy a new one tomorrow?"

"No." Xie Yibai's expression dimmed. He really had little desire for precision mechanics or top-notch design and craftsmanship.

Zou Yan asked good-naturedly, "Then what do you want?"

Xie Yibai sat at the desk with his back ramrod straight, looking dejected. "Neither you nor Sister Yin Ran told me Qi Lan was involved too."

Zou Yan was quick-witted and explained, "Qi Lan? He's one of Sister Yin Ran's artists. I did tell her there could be a few standout roles in this drama. It's only natural that she'd want one of her artists to get a spot, isn't it? Besides, she's also investing alongside me. I couldn't exactly refuse her."

Xie Yibai brushed aside the luxury watches worth tens of millions. His straight back bent, and he rested his face against the cool solid-wood desktop. "You never told me any of this. I'm unhappy."

His frankness and childishness drew a series of soft chuckles from Zou Yan, who said sincerely, "Xiaobai, we're doing business here. Business is give-and-take. Do you have some kind of grudge against Qi Lan?"

Yes. Xie Yibai didn't say it, nor did he want to, because it was something that had happened many years ago.

Back then, he was still obscure, and so was Qi Lan. Their respective companies had placed the two newcomers on the same variety show. He had gained some popularity thanks to his looks and personality, gathering a small group of fans and attracting advertisers' attention. His commercial work had finally begun to pick up.

Just then, Qi Lan's team hired online trolls to smear him, circulated photos of him with a female internet celebrity, and fabricated false rumors about him. As a result, he lost work he had already secured and had to pay a breach-of-contract penalty on top of it.

The important thing was that at the time, he had genuinely regarded Qi Lan as a very good friend. But that good friend had stabbed him in the back twice. He had been so angry that he binged on food and drink and threw up all night. After that, he never made friends with anyone in the industry again.

Looking back now, it had only been a minor job and an insignificant sum of money.

But he couldn't forgive that betrayal and hurt.

What was more, Yin Ran had later poached Qi Lan. He had signed with a new company, starred in Summer Palace, his representative work, and promoted his CP with great success, rising to become a top star in one leap.

A top star, still a cut above him to this day!

How could he possibly work with Qi Lan on the same drama?

Since he wouldn't say anything, Zou Yan could only guess. He added, "Xiaobai, it's not what you think. Beacon Fires West of the City doesn't have two male leads. As far as the plot is concerned, you're definitely the only male lead. Qi Lan is making a special appearance. Think about it: the drama will need promotion once it's released. He's so popular, we'd be fools not to use him. Borrowing his traffic is meant to add the finishing touch for you."