Chapter 63
“An Ye, An Ye, where are you going?!” An Ye’s assistant looked at him in shock as he suddenly stood up. “You still have one scene left to shoot, and it’s your turn soon!”
Without looking back, An Ye replied, “I need to use the restroom.”
His face was pale, brows furrowed, and his eyes held an incredulous shock. He walked hurriedly.
After leaving the set, An Ye searched his contacts for B.H’s phone number but realized he hadn’t saved it. In desperation, he dialed Boyan’s number, only to find him already on another call.
Boyan had beaten An Ye to it and was already speaking to B.H’s CEO, asking about the newcomer’s background. Seizing the opportunity, the B.H CEO used this situation as leverage and finally negotiated a contract that had been in the works for a long time.
An Ye took leave from the director and headed straight to Xing Entertainment’s building. As he hurriedly entered the company, he caught everyone’s attention — after all, he hadn’t been here in years.
An Ye walked into Boyan’s office and found Tang Ying there too. Clearly, Tang Ying had rushed over from somewhere else; his hair still had styling wax. Boyan glanced at both of them coldly and asked, “So, are you both here for the same newcomer?”
An Ye walked directly to Boyan. “ Xiang Boyan, long time no see. Given your abilities, I believe you can quickly find out about this newcomer’s background, right?”
“Although you’re praising me,” Boyan calmly put away the documents in his hand, “I don’t think I need to tell you.”
Tang Ying frowned. “Boss, just tell us directly. Is that person really Zhou Yuanzhe?!”
His expression was anxious, eyes filled with hope yet tinged with vulnerability.
It had been five years, and there had been many rumors about Zhou Yuanzhe’s whereabouts. Each time, Tang Ying had hoped, only to be disappointed. Now, when a newcomer with a face resembling his appeared in an ad video, he hesitated to confirm.
“It’s not him.” Boyan’s words chilled their hearts. “At least according to the information, it’s not.”
An Ye’s brow furrowed. He took out his phone, found the video, and handed it to Boyan. "Xiang Boyan, honestly, can you say with a clear conscience that this face isn’t Zhou Yuanzhe’s?!”
Boyan closed his eyes, feeling a pang in his heart. He sighed, revealing an unusual expression of helplessness. “An Ye, I also wish that person were Zhou Yuanzhe, but…”
He handed the information given by B.H’s CEO to both of them. “Take a look. This person’s name is Cheng Xuyuan. Their family background is ordinary, and they’ve never had any interaction with Zhou Yuanzhe.”
An Ye’s hope gradually faded.
“But something’s not right.”
Suddenly, Tang Ying looked up at Boyan, who returned his gaze with surprise.
“This advertisement was filmed in Las Vegas. After I finished shooting ‘The Gambler,’ I flew back on the same plane with him,” Tang Ying furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with determination. “Five years ago, Zhou Yuanzhe disappeared on a flight to Las Vegas. Now, five years later, this person returns to H City from there. I don’t believe it’s just a coincidence.”
Xiang Boyan stood up abruptly and asked, “What did you say? This guy… is in H City?!”
Tang Ying replied firmly, “It’s definitely him. Even if he was wearing sunglasses and a mask at the time, I’m certain it’s him.”
In Xiang Boyan’s mind, the image of the person he saw in the noodle shop surfaced. His heart raced, and he could barely catch his breath. He said to the two of them, “Whether Cheng Xuyuan is really Zhou Yuanzhe can wait. What we need to do now is…”
An Ye interrupted, “Meet him in person, immediately, right now.”
For the first time, Xiang Boyan felt an unexpected camaraderie with this troublesome partner.
Tang Ying asked Xiang Boyan, “But where do we find him?”
Xiang Boyan pointed to a row of numbers in the data, “His phone number is here. Since he recently arrived in H City, he must have rented a place. We can inquire with local real estate agencies to find out.”
For the CEO of Xing Entertainment, locating an address through a phone number was effortless.
Half an hour later, the three of them walked out of the company and headed directly to the address they had found.
________________________
At that moment, Cheng Xuyuan was wearing casual home clothes and flip-flops, buying bubble tea at a shop not far from his home. His hair was unkempt, and he had no idea that the three key characters from this book were rapidly approaching.
While waiting for his bubble tea, a tall, thin young man stood next to him, continuously eyeing Cheng Xuyuan with unmistakable interest. Finally, after staring for a full three minutes, the young man initiated a conversation, “Hey, can you give me your WeChat?”
Cheng Xuyuan, annoyed by the wait for his bubble tea, glanced at the stranger with his beautiful eyes and coldly replied, “No.”
The young man persisted, “I’ll treat you to a cup of milk tea with cream on top.”
Cheng Xuyuan raised an eyebrow, “Still no.”
The young man tried again, “How about a cream puff?”
Cheng Xuyuan gave him a strange look, “Are you serious?”
The young man handed over his WeChat QR code with a smile.
Oh well, it was just adding a friend. For the sake of food, it was worth it. Cheng Xuyuan took out his phone and added the stranger as a friend.
Ten minutes later, the shop attendant handed Cheng Xuyuan two cups of bubble tea and a cream puff. The young man enthusiastically took them, saying, “Let me carry those for you.”
Cheng Xuyuan found this person inexplicable. But he couldn’t be bothered to refuse; after all, if this guy was so eager to help, why not let him?
“Is your home nearby?” the young man asked.
Cheng Xuyuan nodded, “Yes, it’s in that residential area over there.”
Easily revealing his address to a stranger wasn’t because Cheng Xuyuan lacked caution; he simply didn’t consider this guy a threat. He could handle twenty of such people with one punch.
The young man, unaware that he had been categorized as “low-intelligence human,” thought Cheng Xuyuan was inviting him. He eagerly followed behind, heading toward the residential area.
So, when Xiang Boyan and the others got out of the car at the entrance of the residential area, they witnessed this scene:
A beautiful youth in casual home clothes and flip-flops, exuding remarkable charm and good looks, walked ahead, engrossed in his phone. Following closely behind was a young, tall, thin man carrying bubble tea and pastries, his eyes burning with intense interest.
Although they hadn’t confirmed whether Cheng Xuyuan was truly Zhou Yuanzhe, seeing this scene, all three of them felt as if they had knocked over a vinegar jar. The air was thick with jealousy.
Cheng Xuyuan was walking when suddenly he encountered a human wall. Three tall and distinctively handsome men blocked his path.
“Is there something you need?” Cheng Xuyuan raised an eyebrow.
These three men looked unfriendly, but their hostility was directed at the young man behind Cheng Xuyuan.
Clearing his throat, Xiang Boyan said sternly, “Protection fee.”
Cheng Xuyuan was taken aback. The young man behind him immediately paled and shouted, “What are you doing? How dare you extort money in broad daylight…”
Tang Ying stepped forward, exuding the aura of a martial arts hero. He cracked his knuckles and addressed the young man, “Put down your stuff and scram.”
The scared young man promptly returned the milk tea and pastries to Cheng Xuyuan. He stammered, “Uh, handsome guy, let’s meet another day. We can exchange WeChat…”
Cheng Xuyuan hadn’t fully grasped the situation when An Ye spoke up, “Is he your boyfriend?”
Xiang Boyan snorted, “His taste is really lacking.”
Tang Ying chimed in, “He can’t make you happy. Look at how spineless he is.”
“What’s wrong with you people?” Cheng Xuyuan’s temples throbbed. “Do I know you?!”
All three were momentarily stunned.
“Are you… really not Zhou Yuanzhe?” An Ye asked cautiously.
Cheng Xuyuan coldly regarded him. “Who are you?”
An Ye looked hurt. His voice trembled as he said, “I… I’m An Ye.”
An Ye?
Cheng Xuyuan suddenly realized. “Oh, it’s you!”
The three of them looked ecstatic. In unison, they exclaimed, “You remember now?!”
“What?” Cheng Xuyuan glanced at them dismissively. “Isn’t this the artist who claimed I stole his advertisement on Weibo?”
At this, An Ye's eyes widened. He tightened his fist and stepped closer to Cheng Xuyuan, staring intently. “I’ll ask you again: What’s your relationship with Zhou Yuanzhe?”
Cheng Xuyuan suddenly remembered. An Ye seemed to be the protagonist of this world. It all made sense now – these people were part of the protagonist’s group, and he was an outsider who had once visited this world.
Cheng Xuyuan met An Ye’s gaze. His voice, almost identical to Zhou Yuanzhe’s, sounded even more distant and indifferent.
“Zhou Yuanzhe is dead,” Cheng Xuyuan said slowly, scanning the three of them. “The Zhou Yuanzhe who was treated as a tool is dead.”
All three stared at him in shock.
“I am Cheng Xuyuan.” His eyes, like obsidian in sunlight, were striking. “I have no connection to the Zhou Yuanzhe you speak of. And… I truly don’t know any of you.”
His eyes couldn’t lie.
Cheng Xuyuan felt no emotions toward them, not even hatred or enmity.
In those black eyes, there was only indifference.
Carrying his milk tea and pastries, Cheng Xuyuan calmly walked through the trio and headed toward the exit of the residential area.
Suddenly, Xiang Boyan called out, “Zhou… Cheng Xuyuan, you really don’t remember me?”
Without looking back, Cheng Xuyuan replied, “I don’t.”
“I’m Xiang Boyan.” Xiang Boyan followed him, earnest and resolute. “You can remember me now. My name is Xiang Boyan.”
Cheng Xuyuan halted, turning to face him.
“It’s okay if you forget later.” Xiang Boyan kept his distance, afraid of upsetting him. “I’ll remind you repeatedly, tell you that my name is Xiang Boyan, alright?”
The usually aloof CEO appeared somewhat humble.
His intuition told him that the young man before him was indeed Zhou Yuanzhe.
Xiang Boyan’s eyes turned bittersweet, and his vision blurred.
In that blurred sight, Cheng Xuyuan’s figure merged with the memory of Zhou Yuanzhe.
Cheng Xuyuan walked away, leaving a simple “I understand” behind. His departure lacked nostalgia.
Tang Ying silently watched the two, but in the next moment, he was surprised to see Xiang Boyan wipe his eyes discreetly.
Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter
or purchase advanced chapters here
No comments:
Post a Comment