“Brother Yu, it’s almost your turn,” the young man with a baby-faced look called cautiously, his eyes holding a hint of admiration as he glanced at the man leaning back in his chair, asleep.
Raising a hand to rub his eyes, Yu Junqing removed the sleep mask he had placed over his eyes ten minutes ago to block the light.
“My turn already?” Yu Junqing habitually tried to tidy up his things, but the baby-faced youth was quicker, snatching the task from his hands.
“Brother Yu, just leave it to me. It’s a small matter—I can handle it.” The youth said as he deftly organized the items, placing everything neatly into a small portable case.
“Alright, I’ll head over. Xiao, could you go to that usual shop by the door and grab some water for everyone?” Yu Junqing said, a small smile appearing in his eyes as he watched Xiao Yitong move quickly.
Since formally cutting ties with Xu Zong recently, the company had taken an unexpectedly odd approach: they actually assigned him a good script and even paired him with a competent assistant.
Xiao Yitong had been with him for two days and was more outgoing. Yu Junqing could always tell where he was, even with his eyes closed. Wherever this young man went, laughter followed—such talent for comedy was really a waste if not put to use.
“Brother Yu, you go ahead. I’ll take out the lunch trash on the way,” Xiao Yitong nodded. Seeing Yu Junqing stand up, he retrieved the trash bag from under the chair he had just been sitting on. Yu Junqing caught sight of it from the corner of his eye and felt an urge to pinch the boy’s cheek.
“Brother Yu, I was just about to call you—your turn now.” A crew member called over, and Yu Junqing smiled, nodding in acknowledgment before walking inside.
“I want something tender and affectionate, not… sexual, okay? Step aside and observe, we’re shooting the next scene!” As soon as he opened the door, Yu Junqing heard Director Wang’s familiar roar. His expression remained calm, and his gaze quickly fixed on a disheveled figure in the crowd.
Yu Junqing had memorized the script thoroughly. He immediately recognized the scene.
The drama was actually quite fun. The male lead was the epitome of perfection: born into privilege, tall, handsome, wealthy, influential, and gentle—the ideal type for any girl’s fantasy.
The male second lead, nearly catching up to the male lead in scenes, was less predictable.
Yu Junqing had never seen a second male lead in a youth romance drama quite like this one: arrogant, capricious, crude, and… fond of groping women—a complete playboy.
For example, this scene: the second male lead accidentally entered the wrong private room. The heroine, accustomed to arriving early, was alone inside. Mistaking her for a surprise from his “friends,” he instinctively groped her, only to be beaten back with her handbag. She ran out in disarray, colliding at the door with the male lead. Acting with his usual gentlemanly grace, he lent her his suit jacket, inside of which was also his business card—this was how the heroine and male lead met.
Yu Junqing recalled this and glanced at the second male lead, looking a bit messy after the heroine’s scolding, and smiled.
When he first joined the crew, Yu Junqing hadn’t understood why such a great script had landed in his hands.
Once he saw the arrogant second male lead, it became clear.
The actor playing the second lead was Zhu Wen—his name gentle, but his personality far from it.
Zhu Wen was a third-tier artist under Star Entertainment’s rival, Baisi. He debuted two years ago and had climbed quickly, winning a newcomer award last year, making him a hot rising star.
Yu Junqing knew of him through Xu Zong.
Among Xu Zong’s bosses, there were levels. The money each gave varied. Xu Zong would occasionally check in with the generous ones to remind them of his presence.
Once, Yu Junqing went to find Xu Zong. Standing at the door, he overheard Xu Zong acting humble. Knowing Xu Zong’s vanity, he waited outside.
Xu Zong had lowered himself, flattering the boss to understand why the generous one hadn’t contacted him. Apparently, the new “young master” knew Xu Zong was from Star Entertainment’s rival and felt neglected.
Xu Zong endured the slight. A “young master” was only temporary; eventually, the generous one would come looking for new talent. As soon as Xu Zong hung up, he cursed in the office:
“Zhu Wen, Zhu Wen! Must be cursed! A nobody dares to defy me—I’ll deal with you sooner or later!”
Yu Junqing caught sight of Zhu Wen disappearing at the doorway and thought to himself, he could tolerate it, though his face didn’t quite hide it.
Composing himself, Yu Junqing adjusted his demeanor and walked over with a bright smile.
“Director Wang.”
Director Wang had been fretting about whether to reduce the second male lead’s scenes. No matter the money, introducing such an actor into the crew seemed risky. If the crew were lax, this could become a headache.
Yu Junqing’s voice rang out, and Director Wang immediately felt relieved, switching to a welcoming smile.
“Come, I want to discuss a few scenes. Let’s see what might need adjusting.” Seeing Yu Junqing in a good mood, Director Wang felt reassured. Anyone constantly dealing with messy performances would be heartened to see a talented actor who performed steadily.
Most importantly, Yu Junqing’s nature was known to him: reliable, non-disruptive, and kind. No one in the crew disliked him; Director Wang loved such actors, who approached the work seriously.
Yu Junqing leaned closer, and they discussed the scenes at length. The surrounding crew waited quietly, entirely comfortable with the interaction—it was normal for Yu Junqing to engage like this.
After reviewing, Director Wang, listening to Yu Junqing’s meticulous explanation, couldn’t help but tap his leg in excitement.
“This adjustment is perfect! Let’s shoot!”
Director Wang eagerly began organizing the scene. The units moved into position, and the heroine, Wen Qingqing, had her makeup checked. Yu Junqing smiled confidently, ready to enter his familiar battlefield.
“Ah!” A girl dashed out of the private room, colliding with a sharply dressed man, and both fell.
The man’s expression momentarily surprised, but he quickly reached out: “Are you okay?”
The girl steadied herself, ready to say she was fine, and was struck by the man’s stunning appearance.
Clad in pristine white, he looked like a celestial being. Words couldn’t capture the feeling she had—only these eight characters sufficed.
Had his hand not been slightly warm on her arm, she would have thought herself dreaming—or in a painting.
“Be careful.” The man ignored her fascinated, yet innocent gaze.
As he turned to leave, his eyes briefly flicked over her slightly disheveled outfit, sighing softly. Neatly, he removed his white jacket and draped it over her before departing.
A flash of gratitude crossed the girl’s eyes as she watched his retreating figure, captivated.
“Cut! Excellent!” Director Wang shouted, thrilled. After more than ten consecutive NG takes, nailing it in one go was exhilarating.
“Director, is this adjustment okay?” Yu Junqing approached, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
Director Wang, in high spirits, teased him:
“You little rascal, you’re narcissistic! Come see your own charm that mesmerizes everyone!”
Yu Junqing froze slightly, his lips twitching. His expression—‘Director, don’t make me a joke’—was so vivid that everyone around laughed.
“You’re right! We’re all swooning over you!” Wen Qingqing, the heroine, laughed loudly, having her assistant tidy her outfit. Both female leads in this drama were utterly smitten by Yu Junqing’s male lead.
Yu Junqing, in turn, bowed with mock formality, saying in a serious tone: “Much obliged, much obliged~” His face was comical, yet his eyes seemed to smile and speak. Wen Qingqing couldn’t help but collapse to the ground laughing.
Amid the laughter, Zhu Wen, who had been ready to apologize to Director Wang, paused, glancing at the sparkling Yu Junqing in the crowd with a glint of resentment on his suppressed expression.
Meanwhile, Borui, who had just regained a new SIM card after accidentally ruining his previous one, finally exhaled. His phone had been soaked in porridge earlier, and reclaiming that number had taken effort. He now scrolled through a few messages, pausing at one: “Rui Ge?” He probably knew who it was.