“It’s rare to see you here at night. Want a drink?” Wang Lin raised his glass, curiosity in his eyes as he looked at the man sitting across from him. Did this guy not realize that Wang worked part-time in this bar, practically a lanternfish in the deep sea? Eye-catching to the extreme.
“No thanks, I brought my own,” Bo Rui said, pulling a carton of yogurt from his pocket. Ignoring Wang Lin’s stunned expression, he popped in the straw and drank it all in one go.
“You’ve got some nerve… Coming to a bar and not drinking alcohol is one thing, but drinking yogurt?” Wang Lin almost smashed a glass in shock, speechless.
“What’s wrong? Can’t do it?” Bo Rui tilted his head, tossing the empty yogurt carton into the trash.
“Of course not!” Wang Lin groaned, opening a small fridge behind the counter and pouring a white, unidentified drink into a cup for Bo Rui.
“See? Next time you come, I’ll serve it myself. Free of charge. No need to bring your own,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Damn, why did this grown man like yogurt? Did Bo Rui’s genes mutate or something?
Bo Rui took a sip. Not bad—actually tasted authentic.
“Who made this? Pretty impressive.”
“Don’t mess around. Who else could do it besides me?” Wang Lin snorted. This yogurt was his own creation, though he didn’t usually eat it like this.
“You go ahead, I’ll wait for someone,” Bo Rui said, checking his phone. It was nearly eleven o’clock.
“Waiting for company?” Wang Lin leaned in curiously, squinting.
Bo Rui had always been upright—never smoked, rarely drank. Wang Lin half expected him to be some old sage or monk.
“Just my idiot brother,” Bo Rui laughed, though his mind was uneasy about Yu Junqing.
He couldn’t explain it, but on his way home he’d gotten a feeling that tonight wouldn’t be peaceful. Considering the circumstances, he felt something had to happen to justify his instincts.
So he drove straight over. Parking was usually tricky, but Wang Lin’s back lot was huge; he remembered that.
“…So you’re here drinking yogurt, waiting to pick up your brother?” Wang Lin asked, face full of disbelief.
“Not okay?” Bo Rui raised an eyebrow and cracked his knuckles.
…Violent man! Wang Lin silently cursed himself. He wouldn’t tell this man, who would stay up half the night for a friend—his brain was clearly defective.
While Bo Rui waited, Yu Junqing ran into trouble on the other side.
Not long after Director Wang left, Yu Junqing received Bo Rui’s message. Feeling it was getting late, he planned to stand and head back to the private room to say goodbye. But as he turned, he saw Zhu Wen standing there, a smirk playing on his face.
Zhu Wen strolled a couple of steps, then spoke with a mocking tone:
“No wonder the big actor has such a complicated relationship with Director Wang. Didn’t expect it. No wonder everyone sided with you—so there was someone behind the scenes all along.”
His words, veiled in sarcasm, made Yu Junqing frown.
To be fair, Zhu Wen wasn’t entirely blameless in the matter. Though he was also a victim, in the end it was Director Wang who intervened. Without him, it wouldn’t have been resolved so cleanly.
“Director Wang supported you too,” Yu Junqing replied lightly, not wanting to argue further.
Hearing this, Zhu Wen’s expression twisted instantly.
“What do you know? From the start, he was targeting me! Look at your role—tall, handsome, charming, considerate, gentle. And mine? A spoiled, bratty, lazy playboy. The role itself is a setup!” Zhu Wen’s anger flared as he recounted how every time he tried to negotiate a small change to his role, Wang blocked him. It was clear Wang didn’t like him and didn’t want him to shine in this drama.
Yu Junqing felt a pang of pity.
A male supporting lead with so much screen time—someone in his previous position would have been thrilled to land such a role. A distinctive personality, frequent exposure, a role the audience would remember, a solid salary, even acting alongside the lead—it was a dream for most actors.
Seeing Yu Junqing remain silent, Zhu Wen assumed he agreed, and his anger grew.
The day he had been harshly humiliated by Zhong Feng in front of Meng Ziyan had crushed his pride to the bone. No one knew the effort it took him to pick himself up and leave.
If it weren’t for getting a subpar role… if it weren’t for Yu Junqing taking the male lead…
A faint trace of bloodshot appeared in Zhu Wen’s eyes. He glared at Yu Junqing, face twisted in fury.
Yu Junqing sensed something was wrong and quietly stepped back a few paces.
Zhu Wen glared at him, teeth clenched. “Sometimes I envy you! No effort and you luck into a lead role. Now you’re riding my coattails to fame, even the director treats you differently—you can change the script however you want! Tell me, what do you even rely on?”
“I don’t rely on luck,” Yu Junqing replied, casually edging toward the door while keeping his voice calm.
“Not luck? Ha!” Zhu Wen sneered, lips curled, full of disdain.
Yu Junqing pursed his lips, silent, moving step by step toward the exit. But Zhu Wen blocked the doorway, forcing him to create some distance.
“So your answer is… skill?” Zhu Wen’s sarcasm almost felt tangible.
“Think whatever you want,” Yu Junqing said, glancing around. He was always sensitive to such matters. Now, unease was building in his chest, spreading into a tingling numbness.
“Right, what I think doesn’t matter. It’s what others think that counts,” Zhu Wen grinned, stepping aside as two men in suits emerged.
Yu Junqing immediately backed away several steps, voice sharp: “What do you mean? This is a wrap party. I suggest you watch yourself.”
The two suited men advanced slowly. Zhu Wen, stepping lightly, planned to leave. Just at the doorway, he stuck his head back and added:
“Here’s the thing—earlier, I happened to see you with a business card. Didn’t expect you’d snub it, so I told the owner. He sent these two over, saying they want to talk to you about that card. Have fun~”
Yu Junqing didn’t even register Zhu Wen’s words. The two men were clearly trained fighters; with him drunk and cornered, escaping would be a huge problem.
His mind raced through the hotel layout he had memorized during reconnaissance. He took a deep breath and resolved—he had no choice.
Without hesitation, he spun and leapt directly off the balcony.
The two suited men exchanged a glance, startled. Their boss wanted him unharmed! They sprinted to the balcony, but the rooftop was empty.
“I’ll go down. Search nearby,” one of them muttered, jumping off as well.
Yu Junqing crouched in silence, watching the man search below, panic rising.
Jumping while drunk had left his ankles weak; pain throbbed faintly. He forced a grimace and tried to calm himself. Whoever sent these men, it didn’t matter—getting caught now would be catastrophic.
Tap-tap-tap-tap. Sharp footsteps echoed behind him. A growing sense of dread pressed down. Yu Junqing’s hairs stood on end, cold sweat streaming down his face, dripping onto the floor.