Translator: Vian
Editor – Shem
China has a kind of relationship; it's called human relations.
Debt between people was still that hardest to deal with. Rong Xu had lived here for three days and already felt like he owed the other. So at this moment, even if the other party says that he could pay the rent and continue to live there, he still firmly refused.
The young boy's small smile to tactfully decline let the man feel a bit shocked, as if he never thought that it would end like this. Qin Cheng's finger on the table tapped faster and faster, the sound gradually becoming clearer and clearer.
This little habit was something many people had, so Rong Xu didn't mind it, instead, he smiled till his eyes curved and quietly watched Qin Cheng. His appearance soft and mild, but his eyes showed his firm rejection, with no possibility of changing his mind.
A long time after, Qin Cheng calmly asked: "Have you already found an apartment?"
Rong Xu nodded in reply: "En, Luo ge said that he already found two pretty good apartments." Pausing a bit, he added: "It's the Luo Zhentao from Huaxia Entertainment. I've already signed a contract with him before so I didn't sign into your studio."
At this time and moment to say out this kind of reason really is just perfect. Rong Xu already long had an agreement with Luo Zhentao so he naturally couldn't sign into Qin Cheng's studio. Owning debt doesn't need to like a snowball that's getting bigger and bigger. When it was contained from the start could be considered as the best choice.
As a result, Qin Cheng turned silent, and didn't say anymore.
However, after a while, Rong Xu's personal phone began ringing in the bedroom. He was slightly surprised for a moment, he first picked up his phone on the table to look at the time then laughed: "I didn't expect that it would already be eight, the alarm clock rang." As he said this, the young boy got up and walked into the bedroom to turn off the alarm.
And so, he naturally didn't find out that in the split moment he opened the phone, the menu screen that had not yet dimmed fell into the man's eyes. Instantly, the slender and fierce pair of phoenix eyes abruptly widened. Qin Cheng's profound and unfathomable eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. Waiting till after Rong Xu completely turned around and left, his finger that was tapping on the tabletop stopped, only hesitating for a moment. But in the end, still couldn't help but sneak around on someone else's phone.
This Fruits Phone was something that Rong Xu reluctantly decided to buy after thinking long and hard about it when he got the payment for "Vie for Supremacy." His personal phone was still that one thousand RMB phone, but for using social platforms like Weibo, it was still better to use a phone that had a better performance.
Qin Cheng quickly moved to touch the phone, and completely didn't take account of his own immoral behavior but instead, wanted to open it to look for a bit to confirm the content.
Fingerprint lock... En, as expected, he couldn't open it with that. He must later look for an opportunity to add his fingerprints to the phone.
He could only unlock it with a password now.
Qin Cheng thought for a moment, then entered Rong Xu's birthday.
『1218』
...Very well, it was still locked.
Let's enter the year of birth.
『2026』
...How do you unlock it.
Since it came to this, he could only enter this date.
『1027』
Sure enough...it didn't work ah!
...If it worked then there's a ghost at work, okay?! This was your birthday!
Even if you casually enter your birth year『2017』like you want to, it would still be impossible for it to be correct!
At the very end, Qin Cheng's gaze could only linger and deeply look at this phone. He already has no way to test for the last time, Fruits Phone only allows you to enter the password five times. After being wrong five times, it would automatically lock the phone, and he would be found out.
Was that picture he just saw...really his Weibo home page?
Softly sighing, Qin Cheng put back the phone in its original position before the youth was about to come back.
Rong Xu dragged out his suitcase and had already put on a coat and cap, brimming with the youthful willfulness atmosphere of youth. This kind of bright and sunny feeling made Qin Cheng slightly squinted his eyes and calmly looked up at the other, while his fingers unconsciously started tapping again.
Rong Xu picked up the phone on top of the table and placed it into his pocket.
This time, it really was a goodbye. Rong Xu stood at the doorway and said: "I currently still can't give you back the key. Mister Qin, some of my stuff are still in the bedroom and I have no way to take it with me this time. Wait till I finished filming and come back to B-City and I will come to take it away. At that time, I will place the key on the table, so you would be able to see it."
Qin Cheng softly said: "Don't use such a polite tone when talking with me."
Rong Xu: "...?"
Rong Xu lifted his head, and looked at Qin Cheng.
Before, there was someone that said, among the male artists who had debuted in the past two decades, Qin Cheng's appearance was the one and only that was hard to nitpick at. His was a kind of handsomeness that reached the pinnacle; starry eyes, thin lips, every mark and stroke was a master artisan's finely carved move in great care and precision. Needless to say, he was formidable enough to deter the other's auras, that arrogance comparable to a scorching sun rising. Within the red carpet, there were few stars who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
Under this kind of temperament, any facial flaws would be overlooked.
In terms of appearance, he might be inferior to Rong Xu's perfect exquisiteness and refinement, and nor did he have one of China's top actor, Wen Xuan's, youthful glamor and allure. But when he looked down and fixedly staring at you, even if it was Rong Xu, his heart would unavoidably be slightly stunned. Hard to say what kind of feeling it was, but it was… somewhat of an odd feeling.
The low magnetic male voice sounded: "If my mother knew you were using a polite and formal tone with me, she would definitely be angry."
Rong Xu suddenly realized: So it was because of Auntie Qin?
Before leaving, the young boy raised his lip, a brilliant smile blooming out. He opened his mouth to say goodbye to Qin Cheng, and this time, what he said was "Goodbye, Qin Cheng," then without any slight hesitation, turned around and left. And behind him, that man's eyes followed him as he entered the elevator.
When the elevator door still had yet to close, Qin Cheng suddenly took large strides over and entered, making Rong Xu slightly surprised.
In the face of the youth's surprised eyes, the man lightly coughed twice and the tip of his ears also seemed to turn a bit red. But his face was still appeared cool, calm, and unhurried, and had even hooked his lips in a smile without batting an eye. He used a kind of reluctant tone to indifferently say: "How about I also send you downstairs. So once mother asks, I'll have a good reply."
Rong Xu: "..."
So it was because of Auntie Qin again ah…
Although he couldn't imagine how this man would so reverently and respectfully report everything to his mother, but while still being under Qin Cheng's gaze, Rong Xu entered Luo Zhentao's car. When Luo Zhentao saw Qin Cheng, he was so scared that he almost fell off from the driver's seat. Waiting till the car left the neighborhood, Luo Zhentao quickly asked: "Xiao Xu, you and Qin Cheng were living together?"
Rong Xu directly shook his head: "It couldn't really be considered as living together, I stayed there for only three days, today was the first time I saw him. My mother and his mother's relationship seemed to be very good, so I temporarily lived there. When I return to B-City, I plan to move out from there."
Luo Zhentao nodded his head in understanding, and turned his gaze, it is unknown what he was thinking.
Inside the quiet car, the young man's soft voice suddenly sounded: "I do not want to owe him too much, that's also not good."
Luo Zhentao was surprised for a moment when he heard that, but then continued on to softly whisper an "Okay," and only then did he threw away all those thoughts he just had while at the same time, lamented in his heart: If we could borrow this connection with Qin Cheng, why worry about not being able to enter the first-tier within a year?
Rong Xu wasn't too concerned about what Luo Zhentao thought, he had researched the other before and knew that the other's means of doing things were quite good, but there was still a bottom line. For things that his stars weren't willing to do, Luo Zhentao wouldn't force them to. This was also one of the reasons why he couldn't keep that one first-tier star: He would not use any rough tactics.
Taking out his phone from his pocket, Rong Xu was ready to take a look at the script, but who would've expected that once he opened the phone, what greeted him was a certain man's Weibo home page. After being slightly surprised for a moment, Rong Xu closed the Weibo, then continued to open up the script to read.
***
Flourishing Chaoyang district, early and bright.
A tall and upright handsome man contently took a walk in the district while he called his manager.
As soon as the call connected, he heard some noisy background sounds while a refined male voice passed through the receiver, but the words said were all peculiar and strange: "Young Master, Great Young Master, my Great Young Master Qin! Everyone's still filming so what are you returning home for? You say, what you are returning to whatever home for? You know that once you took the day off I was badly scolded by Old Zhao? That old man even bulldozed through me saying that I can't manage you well enough for you to come! You said it, I manage you? Am I someone who can manage you, my Great Young Master Qin!"
Qin Cheng's thin lips slightly hooked up and said: "I only asked for this day off, Xia Muyan asked for seven days off."
Huaxia Entertainment's top manager Xu Jin drew in a mouthful of smoke and almost fainted over due to no air: "This is your drama as the male protagonist! You're the most important protagonist! Xia Muyan altogether only have about a thousand scenes, you alone have more than three thousand scenes, you want to compete with her? Or how about you and her exchange, change the script to let her be the protagonist and give her the drama?"
Qin Cheng slightly raised his brow: "That doesn't seem like a bad idea, you go discuss it with Old Zhao."
Xu Jin: "..."
Hold back, hold back, you can't argue with him, you can't argue over him, you can't argue over him– aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!
Completely not caring about how his own manager was already angry enough to want to curse out in vulgar words, Qin Cheng turned his gaze to look at the district's gate, and seemed to still had been able to see something from there. After a while, he casually said: "There's something I want to do."
Xu Jin's heart immediately surged forth with a bad feeling: "...What thing?"
"I intend to change my Weibo profile picture every hour from now on and post on Weibo every other day. The post must match the picture, you'll help me take them, you need to take my best-looking pictures." Pausing, Qin Cheng then continued: "It seems to be a bit too often, let's change it to a profile picture a day and a post every three days. I'll have to bother you to watermark it and the like, I want to let all of my fans see and remember it."
Xu Jin: "..." A new profile picture a day, you're crazy ah!!!
Qin Cheng willfully added: "I'll leave it to you."
"...Are you sick?"
"It would be better to start today, I will check the results. I'll be troubling you to come over and take the photo."
Xu Jin: "#$%#%#$!!!"
"That's right, go and investigate Luo Zhentao if there's any time."
Xu Jin who was still in the middle of fiercely cursing in his heart was surprised for a second, and unconsciously asked: "Luo Zhentao? Seems like he's a manager from the office, how do you know him? Did something happen?"
Qin Cheng squinted his eyes, and lightly said: "I heard that he recently found two nice houses, I want to buy them."
Xu Jin: "...I remember that in B-City, you already seem to have two apartments there?"
Qin Cheng frivolously raised an eyebrow: "So?"
Xu Jin: "..." You really are sick, I should've known long ago!
***
By the time it was evening, a bunch of fans piteously crying for food, just like usual, were randomly scrolling through their phones, when suddenly! They saw a particularly special Weibo notification! Everyone was still stupefied as they hurriedly opened it to look, and in just a split second, the forwards and comments reached over a thousand. Half an hour later, it broke through a hundred thousand!
[Qin Cheng: Today's weather is very good. [Image]]
The profile picture? Changed, this time you can clearly see the face, so handsome that it was a completely hot mess!
With a picture? A suupper suuppperrr nice selfie, so handsome that they can't properly close their legs!
[Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah my family's Qin Shen took a selfie! My family's Qin Shen actually would still know to take a selfie ah ah ah! Is today the day the world ends? Is today the day that the sun rises from the west? Is today the day that Mars collides with Earth? Begging Qin Shen to take more selfies, more photos, more materials, we want you to talk more ah ah ah ah! ]
The fans' craze and riot completely didn't enter Qin Cheng's eyes. He held his phone, and within the millions of fan alerts, he kept on waiting for a certain someone's comment, forward, or even just a like would be okay. But…there was never any, from day to night, there was never any...
Qin Cheng: "..."
***
The young man who just arrived at Shoushe Airport took a deep breath, and slowly breathed out to slightly ease the flight fatigue. Passersby would from time to time turn around to look at the young man, their eyes showing their shock, but no one was able to recognize him.
Rong Xu and Luo Zhentao walked out together, and while walking, Luo Zhentao said: "Right now "Vie for Supremacy" character posters were just released, so there still many people who would not recognize you. After the drama officially comes out, you wouldn't be able to enjoy this leisure. Xiao Xu, make sure to properly treasure this period of time now… Oh wait, I guess you don't need to wait till "Vie for Supremacy" comes out, this "Ambush" should be coming out first."
Rong Xu lightly smiled: "En, lets hope that there will be a chance for me to miss this period of leisure later on."
Luo Zhentao happily laughed: "There definitely will, you have to believe in yourself, and also believe in my vision."
Just as he said this, Luo Zhentao suddenly saw thirty or so, short-haired, elite businesswoman walked over from the side. Her eyes turned bright as she stared straight at Rong Xu, and occasionally glanced at Luo Zhentao who was next to him.
Luo Zhentao immediately understood: "You are the crew member responsible for the reception?"
"Rong Xu! You're Rong Xu? You're Rong Xu, right? Kyaaaaa! The real person is even better than the photos!!! Please give me your signature!!!"
Luo Zhentao: "..."
Rong Xu: "..."
Rong Xu never would've thought that when the crew just released a character poster and not to mention that he was still an unremarkable in every way fourth male lead, there would actually be fans who could recognize him so fast at the airport. With one person vocalizing it, many people at the side who long thought that Rong Xu looked familiar immediately remembered.
"Ah! That Wanqi! I remembered because the surname was very unusual! He's that "Vie for Supremacy" actor!"
"Eh? "Vie for Supremacy"? Is it that drama that Tang Menglan is in?"
"Yes ah, yes ah, the real person is really handsome ah! I also want to get a signature for my daughter. All she would talk about was some little beauty this little beauty that, it seems she was talking about was this Wanqi!"
When "Ambush" crew member responsible for receiving actors, Xiao Li, found Rong Xu and Luo Zhentao, this was the scene he saw: The youth warmly raised his lips in a light chuckle, patiently signing for every person who came to ask for a signature. He was just an unknown little eighteen years old star, it could be said that if there was no one who said anything, there would've been no one who could've guessed who he was.
However, everyone who got a signature from him afterwards couldn't help but say this: "This actor is really good, so good-looking and his character is also good. He's called Rong Xu, right? I need to go and follow his Weibo!"
The older ones all thought this, while the younger ones more so were clutching their complete burning cheeks, excited to the point that they couldn't even speak. They could only keep saying to their comrades: "He's soooo handsome and his voice is soooooo nice to listen to, how can he be so perfect?! I want to turn into a fan, I want to turn into a fan! I want to turn from this face fan into a true love fan ah ah ah ah!"
Xiao Li had to wait at the side for a half hour till Rong Xu was able to finish signing for all these dozens of names.
The three people went to the crew together. Along the way, Xiao Li quietly observed this little actor who was resting in the back seat.
When they arrived at Xiangshan Movie and Television City, taking advantage of when Rong Xu and Luo Zhentao weren't paying attention, Xiao Li sent a certain message: [Dad, this second male lead seems pretty good eh, his character is also pretty good. With his temper, he wouldn't be bullied by Han Yanghao, right? I think that he's really good, you take care of him a bit, don't let him be bullied by that kind of self-important poser.]
The author has something to say:
Rong Rong: I finally arrived at the crew and can rest now.
Qin Shen who was still holding his phone that he(RX) didn't click 'like' to: He doesn't comment, he doesn't forward! Baby isn't happy, Baby is sulking!
Auntie Qin: ...Why do I make a weird appearance every day…
Translator's Addition:
Vian: You should check first whether or not Rong Rong actually follows you. *continues eating popcorn*
Previous Ι Index Ι Next
Fruits Phone – Welllll, I did do some research but all it's giving me is the stats, sooo let's not get into that. It seems like a pretty high-quality phone though, the look and interface are similar to an Iphone
Chaoyang District – Home to the majority of Beijing's many foreign embassies, the Sanlitun bar street, and is Beijing's central business district. It's Beijing's largest district with many market areas, shopping malls, restaurant strips, and the famous Silk Street.
Piteously crying for food – Not really an idiom, but it's basically: desperate for content
Can't properly close their legs – Describing that a man's attractive/handsomeness so very high, that it *cough* let people want to automatically open wide their legs for him. Ya know
Qin Shen – You know how lots of male idols/actors are called 'male idol/male god/adonis'? I mentioned it last chap's footnote, but for those who couldn't bear to read it, Shen is usually used to call male gods or really famous & popular male artists. [神 – shén] means god and is usually translated to those options.
But–
This guy's name is Qin Cheng [秦呈] while this is pronounced as [秦神 – Qín shén]
And Male God Qin sounds weird
Honestly this guy has quite a few puns on his name so what's the harm in adding another, there's one in the next chapter too >.>
Shoushe Airport – Refering to Ningbo Lishe International Airport
Face fan – The raws were face powder[顏粉 – yán fěn] short for face value powder[颜值粉 – Yán zhí fěn], which means they mainly fan over the idol's face more than anything/they first started being a fan due to the looks. (Thank you SleepyOwlet!) True love fan [真愛粉 – zhēn'ài fěn] is exactly how it sounds; real fans, loyal fans, etc.
Xiangshan Movie and Television City – That or Xiangshan Film and Television City, same thing. It's in Xinqiao, the city of Ningbo, Xiangshan County, Zhejiang Province, and is one of China's top ten film bases. The whole thing is about 421 acres.
Self-important poser – [耍大牌 – shuǎ dà pái] Stars that think of themselves as great, and would look down on others. Have a bad attitude, often late, arrogant, unreasonable you know, the whole spiel
Happy – [开森 -Kāi sēn] Sound is similar to how you would say happy in Cantonese, being cute and cringy again