Chapter 44
After finishing breakfast, Xiang Boyan looked at Zhou Yuanzhe's clothes and said to him, "You should take a bath and change your clothes. It's not good to go to work smelling like alcohol."
Zhou Yuanzhe nodded, and suddenly thought of something. He asked, "But I didn't bring any clothes."
"Take mine," Xiang Boyan said, skillfully cleaning up the dishes. "You can choose from my wardrobe."
"Are you serious?" Zhou Yuanzhe twitched his mouth. "You're almost 10 centimeters taller than me."
Xiang Boyan thoughtfully looked at him for a moment, then said, "I have a suit in my wardrobe that I bought during my student days. You might be able to wear it."
After that, he went to his closet, took out the suit, quickly ironed it, and handed it to Zhou Yuanzhe.
Upon receiving the clothes, Zhou Yuanzhe was greeted by a fresh scent. Unlike Xiang Boyan's mature male perfume, this garment carried the unique fragrance of youth.
Just through this scent, an image of a spirited young Xiang Boyan appeared in Zhou Yuanzhe's mind.
"Thank you."
Zhou Yuanzhe softly expressed his gratitude, then took the clothes and went into the bathroom.
As Xiang Boyan watched Zhou Yuanzhe's retreating figure heading toward the bathroom, a complex emotion flashed across his eyes.
After showering, Zhou Yuanzhe's fair skin turned slightly red. His hair was still damp, with droplets clinging to the ends, making his black pupils look moist.
The moment Xiang Boyan saw him, his breath hitched, followed by an unsettling restlessness.
"You..." Xiang Boyan began in a strained voice, "should dry your hair."
Right now, Zhou Yuanzhe looked like a melted iceberg. His top buttons were undone, revealing a pronounced collarbone and a long, slender neck. Even his Adam's apple was tinged with a faint flush.
His lips were slightly moist and slightly parted. The first words he said left Xiang Boyan in a daze.
"Your water heater is blazing hot."
At that moment, Xiang Boyan's agitated feelings evaporated. Holding back an urge to curse, he said quietly, "Come here."
Zhou Yuanzhe went over, looking confused.
Xiang Boyan pressed him onto a chair, picked up a hairdryer, and started drying his hair with firm yet gentle movements. Xiang Boyan's fingers were long. When he ruffled Zhou Yuanzhe's hair, his fingertips grazed the scalp, causing a tingling sensation.
Although it was merely a hair-drying session, Zhou Yuanzhe felt as if time was dragging on.
"You've done this before?" Zhou Yuanzhe asked, amazed at Xiang Boyan's proficiency.
Xiang Boyan replied casually, "Oh, I used to do this only for my Golden Retriever."
"Get lost, fuck." Zhou Yuanzhe was extremely irritated at being compared to a dog.
"..." Xiang Boyan paused in his movement, "I quite like you this way."
"What?" Zhou Yuanzhe asked in confusion.
"You swearing. The old Zhou Yuanzhe who didn't swear seemed unreal to me," said Xiang Boyan, his voice unusually gentle.
Zhou Yuanzhe's eye twitched almost imperceptibly. Did Xiang Boyan have a masochistic side?
After drying his hair, Xiang Boyan personally drove Zhou Yuanzhe to the office.
When they both exited the car, they undoubtedly drew the attention of everyone outside the company. Among the crowd, An Ye, dressed handsomely, stood out glaringly.
He stared dazedly as Zhou Yuanzhe emerged from Xiang Boyan's car. His heart felt like it had been grabbed by a small hand, the uncomfortable feeling causing his breath to hitch, as if he had lost something most important.
As Zhou Yuanzhe walked towards the company's main entrance, he happened to see An Ye.
Their gazes met, the atmosphere slightly awkward.
Without changing his expression, Xiang Boyan stepped between them. Pointedly ignoring An Ye, he asked, "You needed something?"
An Ye's line of sight went beyond Xiang Boyan, gazing directly at Zhou Yuanzhe.
"Didn't Brother Yuan forget? We have an interview today, it requires both of us to be present." An Ye's voice was calm, "I have been waiting for you here for a long time." There was a hint of indiscernible grievance in his voice.
Zhou Yuanzhe felt a pang of guilt and stammered, "I... I remember, I'll take you there now..."
While speaking, he dialed his assistant's number: "Hey, ask the hair, makeup and costume assistants to hurry to the company entrance..."
After doing all this, Zhou Yuanzhe still didn't dare to look into An Ye's eyes. He felt as if the other's gaze was filled with emotions he couldn't respond to.
Xiang Boyan silently looked at the person beside him and indifferently said, "Well, you two should go to work." Whether intentional or not, he put special emphasis on the word "work".
Yes, it's just work, why overthink it? Zhou Yuanzhe breathed a slight sigh of relief.
On the way to the interview, Zhou Yuanzhe and An Ye shared a car, while the other assistants took another.
While the car was waiting for a red light, An Ye suddenly asked, "Brother Yuan, are you and Xiang Boyan together?"
"Pfft--"
Zhou Yuanzhe, who was drinking water, spit out a mouthful, coughing until his face turned red.
An Ye handed him a tissue, patted his back, his eyes landing on the designer suit Zhou Yuanzhe wore. "This is his clothing, right? You don't have such broad shoulders."
Once Zhou Yuanzhe had steadied his breathing, he slowly said, "Xiang Boyan and I have no relationship."
"Really?" An Ye's eyes lit up, "Then, be with me."
"Pfft--"
Zhou Yuanzhe, drinking his second mouthful of water, spat it out again, coughing worse than before. Five minutes later, he responded weakly, "Are you serious?"
If the protagonist were to sincerely propose this, the AI would have no power to refuse.
"Forget it." An Ye looked somewhat disappointed, "When it comes to feelings, I can't decide on my own."
Zhou Yuanzhe sighed in relief.
An Ye's eyes, akin to hopeful doe, looked at Zhou Yuanzhe and said, "Brother Yuan, even if you don't like me, can you stay with me until I become a superstar?"
The request wasn't excessive; Zhou Yuanzhe nodded without hesitation.
________________________
After Zhou Yuanzhe's rejection, An Ye seemed to transform into a different person.
If the previous An Ye was carefree and would only take work seriously, then the rejected An Ye had become a serious workaholic at all times and places.
After the summer vacation, An Ye's filming schedule was jam-packed and endorsements kept pouring in. To raise his own popularity, as long as the script was of high quality, An Ye would take it up and complete the filming with 120% enthusiasm.
In just half a year, An Ye had taken on three movies and two TV dramas, an unimaginable workload for most artists. Even Zhou Yuanzhe couldn't help but be amazed.
However, the results were remarkable. One of the big-budget commercial films, "Starry Clouds," had its premiere during the Lunar New Year period and was proclaimed as the most anticipated movie of the year, featuring a dazzling star-studded cast.
At the same time, Tang Ying starred in a movie called "Follow Wherever You Go." Although it was a low-budget romance film, the previous film's success added momentum, and this film gained much anticipation as well.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, "Starry Clouds" and "Follow Wherever You Go" premiered simultaneously. Posters of An Ye and Tang Ying were plastered all over cinemas across the country, showing a competitive rivalry.
"Starry Clouds" had impressive pre-sales, with its box office breaking one billion on the opening day. The grand visual effects and magnificent plot brought the space battles to life and left audiences wanting more, dominating other commercial films.
"Follow Wherever You Go" had a strong momentum too. Although the box office on the first day was not high, it saw a steady increase in the following days. With its exceptional storyline and acting, it rose to second place, having both excellent word of mouth and box-office success.
This was the biggest Lunar New Year victory Xing Entertainment had ever achieved.
In no time, Weibo's trending topics were once again set ablaze by An Ye and Tang Ying, with various in-depth film reviews pouring in. They analyzed and compared the merits and demerits of both movies, with some even directly comparing the acting skills of the two lead actors. They ultimately concluded that An Ye's acting was underestimated.
In summary, this Lunar New Year period belonged to Xing Entertainment, perfectly replicating the success they had in the summer season but with even greater results, and overshadowed the performances of their young contemporaries.
After the Lunar New Year, nominations for major film festivals were announced, and An Ye's and Tang Ying's names repeatedly appeared on these lists. Discussions also arose as to who would claim the title of Best Actor, stirring up the media.
Among all the film festivals, the Golden Deer Award has the highest prestige and is the most-discussed event.
"The winner of the Best Actor for the 52nd Golden Deer Award is..."
As the host announced, the camera swept across the actors in the audience, deliberately lingering on Tang Ying and An Ye's faces, giving both close-ups.
"An Ye!"
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience as An Ye showed a surprised and excited expression. He hugged the actors around him, his face filled with joy.
Upon taking the stage and receiving the trophy, An Ye solemnly bowed and said with a smile, "I am grateful to the jury, the director, and Xing Entertainment. Of course, I am always thankful for my agent."
"Without him, I might still be lost in the scandal from one year ago."
"My agent has given me a new life."
"Our glory is shared."
The cameraman accurately captured Zhou Yuanzhe in the audience, giving a perfect close-up as his superior appearance stunned the viewers watching the live broadcast.
Zhou Yuanzhe nodded slightly with a gratified smile, though inside, he was thinking: "Can this kid give me fewer cues? Professional fake smiles are exhausting."
After the awards ceremony, An Ye successfully topped the trending search list. The Golden Deer Award was the greatest affirmation of his acting career over the past year, and it served as a resounding slap to the faces of those who doubted him.
Zhou Yuanzhe personally drove An Ye home. After getting out of the car, An Ye insisted on inviting him over for a late-night snack.
An Ye bought a bunch of snacks and ordered several takeout dishes, most of which Zhou Yuanzhe loved.
An Ye raised his glass, "To our ace agent."
Zhou Yuanzhe responded helplessly, "Stop it, I still need to drive back later."
An Ye replaced the alcohol with juice and said, "Whether you drink or not, just accompany me for this late-night snack, please."
Zhou Yuanzhe nodded, "Okay, Mr. Best Actor."
"I had a dream once," An Ye said while eating stir-fried rice cakes. "I dreamt I won a Best Actor award and then enjoyed a favorite late-night snack with my favorite person."
"...Quite a down-to-earth dream."
An Ye's eyes seemed to sparkle like stars, "It was a dream I never dared to hope for."
Now it has come true.
Zhou Yuanzhe didn't know what to say for a moment. An Ye had grown tremendously in the past year, but the only thing constant was his dream — more precisely, his ambition.
The ambition to become a superstar.
"Brother Yuan, can I hug you?"
Before Zhou Yuanzhe left the apartment, An Ye suddenly made a request.
Zhou Yuanzhe looked at An Ye's cautious expression and after a moment, extended his arms for a gentle hug.
It was a brief embrace, perhaps representing their relationship, only allowed to proceed as far as a hug.
Zhou Yuanzhe turned to leave.
"Brother Yuan—"
Zhou Yuanzhe's steps halted.
"… Goodbye."
All of An Ye's complicated emotions were encapsulated in these two simple words.
Without looking back, Zhou Yuanzhe waved his hand, his tall figure as cold as ever, just as An Ye had always dreamt.
________________________
The next morning, bright and early.
When Zhou Yuanzhe arrived at the company's entrance, he bumped into Xiang Boyan. As they both walked towards the company's entrance, they saw the figure of An Ye.
An Ye was very silent, a hint of weariness on his face, completely lacking the joy of just having become the Best Actor.
After a while, he finally said: "I am here today to discuss contract termination."
"What?!" Both Xiang Boyan and Zhou Yuanzhe were simultaneously shocked.
Half an hour later.
The three of them sat at the table in the president's office, with a pile of miscellaneous documents in front of An Ye, seemingly prepared for quite a while, all regarding the termination of his contract.
Xiang Boyan said calmly, "An Ye, the penalty fee for breaching the contract is very expensive. You might be able to afford it, but I cannot guarantee that you'll still have endorsement income after the termination."
"I've calculated this amount for a long time. You don't have to worry about it, President Xiang."
An Ye's eyes were filled with determination. He had been contemplating this matter since the day Zhou Yuanzhe fainted with a fever.
Cheng Xuyuan asked the system in his mind, "Why is this plot going more and more off-track?"
The system annoyed, replied, "Ask yourself!"
Cheng Xuyuan: "…" feeling wronged.
"What are your plans after the termination?" Xiang Boyan was a shrewd businessman, and the departure of the newly crowned Best Actor An Ye would undoubtedly be a loss for him. "With your connections, I don't think you can have a better prospect."
An Ye gave a faint smile, but his eyes held a complicated emotion. He looked at Zhou Yuanzhe and suddenly asked, "Brother Yuan, you'll leave with me, right?"
________________________
Note: The next chapter is the last for this arc.
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