Jian Feiyang felt guilty.
Knowing it was very likely that his brother had pushed things behind the scenes, letting him and Ah Qing struggle through the day, he hadn’t slept a wink all night.
But he didn’t expect…
The very next morning, when he arrived on set following Ah Qing’s instructions, that guilt disappeared almost instantly!
“Ha… ha…”
From what felt like a hollow chest, ragged, labored breaths escaped. Jian Feiyang now realized how naïve he had been yesterday when he had made his threats!
Ah Qing hadn’t sold him off, true.
But…
Ah Qing clearly intended to destroy him!
He thought this as his eyes instinctively searched for Fan Qing’s figure.
Right there, just within reach, yet seeming impossibly far away.
Jian Feiyang even recalled a Chinese idiom: 望其项背—to only see the back of someone.
Truly… 望其项背.
Chasing after Ah Qing?
Impossible. Not in this lifetime.
Thinking this, his steps gradually slowed.
“Maintain your pace.”
Fan Qing’s voice cut through like a demon’s command. Jian Feiyang’s muscle memory instantly recalled the correct running posture Ah Qing had taught him, and his arms, which felt like soft noodles, moved forcefully in rhythm.
“Yes!”
Good.
Fan Qing glanced at him, then slightly increased his pace, running just ahead of Jian Feiyang.
He wasn’t actually harming Jian Feiyang—he was just taking him for a run.
A run that lasted two full hours.
“Ha—ha—ha!”
Jian Feiyang’s vision darkened, feeling as if he might collapse at any second.
Fan Qing wasn’t much better off.
Though he had kept up daily exercise since taking over this body, his physical endurance still lagged behind, and his lips were pale and cracked from the effort.
“Lean on the wall for a few steps, then drink this.”
Fan Qing’s voice was raspy, like gravel in a shell. Jian Feiyang wanted to look up at him, but even the strength to lift the water bottle was nearly gone.
Still, he gritted his teeth and followed Fan Qing’s instructions—supporting himself against the wall and walking a bit.
Only after a while did he sip the water Fan Qing had given him.
Fan Qing was hydrating as well.
His physique wasn’t much better than Jian Feiyang’s, and running demanded more sweat from him than from Jian Feiyang.
But…
Fan Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly as his mind lingered on one perfect body he longed for.
For that, paying a price was worth it. He could accept it fully.
Jian Feiyang managed to catch his breath, glancing up at Fan Qing.
“Ah Qing… you’re amazing! How did you do it?”
Fan Qing looked at him.
“What’s amazing?”
Jian Feiyang’s eyes sparkled.
“Running! I remember your stamina used to be worse than mine, right? How did you get this strong in such a short time?”
Fan Qing paused, then gave a cold smile that sent a chill down Jian Feiyang’s spine.
“You’ll know soon enough.”
Jian Feiyang blinked.
And, sure enough, he would soon know.
His scenes on set were actually very limited.
So every day after arriving, his schedule began with two hours of running with Fan Qing.
After running came squats, push-ups, weightlifting, jump rope—one exhausting exercise after another, all under Fan Qing’s watchful eye.
Every day, his intake of water, sugar, even salt, was meticulously controlled by Fan Qing.
Jian Feiyang swore he had even seen a detailed record file on Ah Qing’s phone documenting all their training!
Wasn’t this the kind of regimen reserved for elite athletes representing the country?
He was just an ordinary small-time actor—why this for him?
Though Jian Feiyang had a million questions in his mind, he still approached everything with diligence.
Every day he arrived early on set, following Fan Qing’s supervision, doing exactly as instructed.
Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. At first, people didn’t care much, but over time, whispers began circulating on set.
Especially after noticing that Fan Qing trained even harder than Jian Feiyang, some gossip began to spread.
“Do you think they’re just putting on a show?”
“Of course it’s a show. They’ve got a company and a gym—why make such a big deal about training on set every day? It’s just for others to see them like that, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. Besides, Jian Feiyang is one thing, but that Fan Qing—what is he even? Just an assistant, without even the credentials to enter the industry properly. Yet he trains harder than the lead every day—what’s he even aiming for?”
“Who knows… but maybe some people are just a bit too dumb. Maybe they’re trying to step on the lead’s shoulders to climb up!”
Jian Feiyang hesitated, then pressed his lips together and glanced at Fan Qing, who remained completely unruffled.
“Ah Qing… do you think they actually believe we’re deaf?”
At this close a distance, only deaf people wouldn’t hear them, right?
“So they’re deliberately saying it where we can hear.”
Fan Qing spoke without looking away.
“Huh?”
Jian Feiyang didn’t get it.
“Not? What’s the point?”
Fan Qing glanced at him.
“The point is to get a reaction from you—like the one you’re giving right now.”
Jian Feiyang froze.
He was speechless. He couldn’t fathom the logic of these people at all.
But!
He looked at Fan Qing seriously.
“Ah Qing, don’t worry. I know you’re definitely not trying to step on me to get ahead. You’re doing this all for my sake!”
He even purposely spoke a little louder.
As expected, the three onlookers heard it and immediately rolled their eyes.
One of them even blurted out:
“Idiot.”
Fan Qing coldly shot him a sidelong glance.
The man froze and awkwardly avoided Fan Qing’s gaze.
Pulling his attention back, Fan Qing patted the shoulder of this simpleton in front of him.
“Not entirely. A large part of it is still for myself.”
“Pfft!”
The comment was immediate.
Jian Feiyang felt a bit deflated.
“I already know, of course, that you’re also doing this for yourself—otherwise, why train so hard?”
He huffed twice, then leaned closer, sounding a little aggrieved.
“I’m just backing you up, Ah Qing! You should at least give me some face.”
He even intended to knock down those who were gossiping!
But Ah Qing ruined that plan far too quickly.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to do that. They’ll quickly realize how foolish they’ve been.”
Fan Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Not far off, the assistant director, drenched in sweat, shivered suddenly.
He froze for a moment.
“Could it be… the heat’s causing problems?”
That evening, when Fan Qing had confronted him, he realized the issue wasn’t with him.
The problem had come to him.
He glanced at Fan Qing, feeling a bit vexed.
“Recently, Jian Feiyang’s treatment hasn’t been a problem, right?”
Fan Qing wouldn’t be here to cause trouble, would he?
The assistant director’s professional instincts made him study Fan Qing.
The more he looked, the more shocked he became.
He knew what Fan Qing looked like when he first joined the crew.
A bit hunched, hair covering his eyes, thick glasses like bottle bottoms, timid and quiet all day—like a shadowy rat scurrying through the sewers.
Having worked in this industry long enough, he could immediately tell such people were weak, unnoticed, and easily manipulated.
And he had—Fan Qing did whatever he was told without resistance. How easy it had been.
But ever since that one incident, Fan Qing had changed.
Some decent people who’ve been bullied hard do change, he knew that.
But could someone’s change really be so drastic—like night and day?
The man in front of him now stood straight, shoulders squared, clothes clearly tailored to Fan Qing’s body—fitted, emphasizing a V-shaped torso, giving no hint of the previous hunch.
The thick glasses remained, but the hair was neat and tidy, revealing his forehead, making his face seem almost unrecognizable—clean, sharp, with an air of presence.
Yet those eyes…
The assistant director instinctively looked away.
Not out of fear, but because those eyes unnerved him.
Sometimes, he even wondered: if there really were man-eating spirits in the world, had they devoured Fan Qing and replaced him with a new vessel?
Sensing the strange gaze, Fan Qing felt a slight flicker inside.
Had the change been too obvious?
Then he thought, if only the assistant director noticed, it wasn’t a huge problem.
After all, he held leverage over the man.
Moreover…
Recalling the information he had looked up on Nie Luo, Fan Qing exhaled slowly.
If he wanted to catch up to that man, he couldn’t afford to move slowly.
A faint smile curved his lips as he finally addressed the real business.
“You’ve managed the crew well, Assistant Director, so of course there’s no problem. This time, I personally want to discuss a transaction with you.”
“A transaction?”
The assistant director raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Yes.”
Fan Qing nodded calmly.
The assistant director furrowed his brow openly.
A transaction? This kid wants to make a deal with me?
What leverage could he possibly have?
Did he think holding my weakness allows him to do as he pleases?
“Don’t worry. My transaction will be fair—you won’t lose out.”
Fan Qing’s words immediately saw through the man’s thoughts.
The assistant director pondered for a moment.
“Then tell me, what do you want?”
“Simple.”
Fan Qing pulled out his phone and brought up a trending topic—not too popular yet.
“#Guan Junhao Withdraws from Variety Show Due to Fracture#”
“I’d like to trouble the assistant director to do me a favor—let Jian Feiyang meet with the director of the show.”
Guan Junhao?
Wasn’t he the guy from that variety show run by his old friend Lao Ma?
The assistant director’s mind quickly spun.
“So Jian Feiyang wants to try his hand at variety shows?”
He’d just said it when a sudden realization hit him.
“No… wait.”
His eyes widened as he looked at Fan Qing, a bold guess forming in his mind.
“It’s you. You want Jian Feiyang to go into variety shows?”