At last, they returned to the villa, and Xie Zhuzhou returned to his own secluded space. The camera in the corner was still properly covered.
Worried that the warm air from the air conditioner might blow the cloth off, he searched the room again for something like string. In the end, he found a roll of white adhesive tape someone had left in a drawer under the bathroom sink, fetched a stool, and bound the camera and cloth together securely.
He curled his lips in satisfaction.
Once that was done, Xie Zhuzhou took a shower, put on the black silk pajamas he had brought from home, lay down on the bed, and decided to enjoy a peaceful afternoon nap.
The other guests who had returned to the villa had their own things to do.
Zhang Yin read in his room, Xuelai practiced dancing in hers, and Yu Wei applied a face mask.
Wang Zhengxiao was a jewelry designer renowned both at home and abroad, and he was usually very busy.
Bai Shankui headed out with a bag on her back.
Zhuang Xingye also drove off somewhere.
Wen Nan and Wen Ruohuai's eldest brother learned about their fight, and they were summoned back to the Wen Family to be punished.
Director Wang reviewed the morning's footage. There were barely a few highlights: the two Wens, who seemed to love and hate each other.
The talented, handsome film star and the beautiful singer.
The cool beauty Yu Wei and the sunny boy Wang Zhengxiao.
Zhuang Xingye, who had seized... first place.
The elf Bai Shankui, who had muddled her way through...
And the ghost, Xie Zhuzhou. After some thought, Director Wang decided to include Xie Zhuzhou in the edit after all. There wasn't much footage of him, but the livestream never lacked Sherlock Holmes types. He would see when someone discovered Xie Zhuzhou.
The thought made Director Wang increasingly eager.
More screen time wasn't necessarily more tantalizing than less.
After a lovely nap, Xie Zhuzhou finally encountered an inconvenience: it was hard to get a ride in the villa district.
The cars in the original owner's garage were understated yet luxurious, which made them rather eye-catching in their own way.
In the end, Xie Zhuzhou decided to buy a bicycle. It would give him exercise as well as a means of transport.
He placed an order online, since he didn't know how to shop for a bicycle.
Judging by his experience in his previous life, buying the expensive option was the way to go.
So he ordered a Specialized bicycle that cost around fifty thousand yuan.
It was afternoon, before dinner, and everyone had their own plans. Xie Zhuzhou thought he was quite the clever one: he had put Director Wang's name and phone number on the delivery order.
Just as Director Wang received a bicycle in utter bewilderment, Xie Zhuzhou hurried into the control room to find him.
"Thank you, Director Wang."
Director Wang: ...
Wasn't this brat going too far?!
He was completely out of control! He had actually used his name and phone number for a delivery.
He smiled through gritted teeth. "You're certainly security-conscious."
Xie Zhuzhou chuckled and nodded. "Thanks, Director. You're such a good person." With that, he dragged the box away.
Director Wang: ...
Director Wang was the only person Xie Zhuzhou knew, and since he had arrived in this world, Director Wang had spoken to him the most. He would treat Director Wang well in the future, too.
So Young Master Xie innocently thought.
Watching Xie Zhuzhou leave, the assistant director said, "Director Wang, you're not... using the casting cou-"
"Casting couch, my ass! Look at him doing whatever he pleases. Do you think anyone could control him?"
The assistant director: ...
That did seem true. Everyone else was at least respectful toward Director Wang. Even Zhang Yin had to show him some deference.
Only Xie Zhuzhou acted neither servile nor overbearing around Director Wang, and even used him as the recipient for a delivery.
That was... seriously impressive.
He just didn't know what Xie Zhuzhou's background was. It was hard to guess. With those looks... no one in the industry resembled him, so his parents probably weren't in the industry.
Once Xie Zhuzhou had his bicycle, he unpacked it by a corner of the wall. He took a step back, intending to take a photo and claim the cashback for a positive review.
It was a hassle, but the cashback was fifty yuan.
That was roughly enough for several hand-grab pancakes.
He raised his phone, about to find a nice angle for the picture, unaware that someone was approaching from behind. He startled when he bumped into him. Thanks to years of managing his expressions in his previous life, his face remained composed, with only a flicker of panic in his eyes.
"Sorry."
Only when he looked up did he see that it was Zhang Yin, the novel's main gong: a film star characterized by his love of healthy living, who only became entangled in a push-and-pull romance with the main shou later on.
"I came up behind you without saying anything. It wasn't your fault. I should be apologizing to you." Although his foot had been stepped on and his big toe throbbed faintly, Zhang Yin knew he had brought it upon himself.
He wanted to clutch his leg and cry out in pain, but forced himself to maintain his usual suave bearing.
"Mm."
Xie Zhuzhou had no intention of continuing the small talk. He really didn't know how to chat. In his previous life, there had been a distinction between master and servant with his attendants. To maintain his authority, he couldn't become too close to them, so they rarely spoke.
Zhang Yin: ...
That... that was it?
Just three words in total.
How sparing with words could this person be? Zhang Yin finally understood what it felt like when the other person wasn't embarrassed, leaving him as the embarrassed one.
Xie Zhuzhou ignored him. He had his own rhythm.
It wasn't as though failing to greet someone meant he had to kowtow in apology. Besides, he was used to speaking in commands. What if he said the wrong thing and offended someone? He was also bad with words and, at heart, socially anxious.
He had never interacted with actors in his previous life. In this life, he knew that actors could earn money more easily than ordinary people, so the profession was no longer looked down upon.
Xie Zhuzhou was an old-fashioned man from ancient times, without the slightest instinct for chasing celebrities. So rather than feeling he was facing a film star, he only felt the awkwardness of facing a stranger.
An awkward atmosphere always made people want to find something to do.
Xie Zhuzhou took the photos, copied someone else's positive review, and made a few small changes. He thought he was an absolute genius.
From Zhang Yin's perspective, the young man pressed his crimson lips together, his brows slightly furrowed and his expression serious. He seemed very stubborn.
After taking the photos, Xie Zhuzhou became engrossed in his phone again, completely forgetting that someone was beside him.
Once he had posted the review and received the money, he returned to his class group chat on his phone to acknowledge the teacher's notice about the course schedule.
Following everyone else's example, he sent a "1."
With that done, he swung his leg over the bicycle. The original owner's body had excellent balance, and there was even a motorcycle in the garage, the stuff of boys' dreams.
But Xie Zhuzhou thought riding a motorcycle would be too cold, too noisy, and too eye-catching, so he gave up on the idea.
He had actually spent over fifty thousand yuan. Over fifty thousand in just one day.
Though his heart was bleeding, Xie Zhuzhou still couldn't break his spending habit... It looked like he would have to find some paying work as soon as possible.
Wearing a black backpack containing the clothes he had changed out of, Xie Zhuzhou simply rode off on his bicycle right in front of Zhang Yin, without so much as looking back.
It had been a long time since anyone had given Zhang Yin the cold shoulder. A trace of shock still lingered in his eyes as he turned and left in bewilderment, beginning to question his own fame. Was it no longer enough?
Judging by Xie Zhuzhou's outfit, Zhang Yin could guess that he was probably a rich second generation. But the gaze he turned on him was as bland as plain water. It wasn't disgust, nor could it be called indifference.
That made him remember this person very distinctly.