He had barely finished talking when he saw that Nie Luo had already hung up the phone.
The director froze.
“That’s it?”
Nie Luo nodded.
“Mm. It’s arranged.”
Director: …Wasn’t that a little too fast?
Curious, he asked, “Is it a newcomer your studio signed?”
Nie Luo’s studio had been around for a while now—had he signed new talent?
Thinking about it that way, Nie Luo had invested in this movie too. Could it be that he was planning to move behind the scenes?
The director fell into deep thought.
Wait—was Nie Luo really going to transition behind the scenes at such a young age?
Then where would he find such a good actor in the future?
An inexplicable sense of crisis rose in the director’s heart.
Maybe, before Nie Luo fully moved behind the scenes, he should collaborate with him a few more times?
And Nie Luo could even invest himself now, saving the trouble of courting other investors!
The more he thought about it, the more the director started looking at Nie Luo like some kind of prized treasure.
Good thing he’d seized this opportunity while he could—chances like this were getting rarer by the day.
Nie Luo: ?
Why did the director’s expression suddenly feel… strange?
But—
“No.”
“No?”
The director was taken aback.
Nie Luo nodded.
“My studio isn’t signing anyone for now. It’s a kid under a friend of mine.”
Oh?
The director couldn’t help looking at him a few more times.
Why did Nie Luo seem… a bit gentler somehow?
He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
…Tch. Maybe it was just his imagination.
“But you said it’s a kid under someone you know. Is your friend a manager or running a company?”
His mind immediately went to Nie Luo’s former manager.
But he shook his head right away.
Impossible. Everyone knew why Nie Luo had set up his own studio—it was precisely because there’d been problems with his former manager.
“A manager.”
Nie Luo added casually,
“It’s Fan Qing. You should know that I’m acquainted with him, right?”
As he spoke, he looked at the director seriously.
The director was a little dazed by that look.
Why did he suddenly feel like Nie Luo’s expression carried… a hint of expectation?
How to put it?
Like he was waiting to be praised for his connections or something?
After thinking it over, the director burst out laughing.
“Of course I know. And I’ve heard that Manager Fan is very capable. If it’s someone under him, they’ll definitely be much more reliable than that previous guy.”
The director’s judgment wasn’t bad.
Nie Luo nodded in what looked like a reserved manner.
“Mm. That’s why I thought of him first.”
So he really was fishing for praise?
The director felt a slight knot in his chest.
Still, if it really was someone under Fan Qing, then they probably would be far more reliable.
Just thinking about the young man he’d originally had his eye on made the director’s irritation flare up again.
Let him jump ship. Let him drag things out. Hah!
Once he finds out later that this movie stars Nie Luo, the director really wanted to see whether that kid Shang Gaoyun would regret it or not.
But before that, he still hoped the person Nie Luo recommended would be reliable.
The director slowly let out a breath.
He didn’t have to wait long before he saw Nie Luo answer a call and stand up.
The director instinctively leaned over.
“They’re here?”
“Yes.”
A flash of delight passed through Nie Luo’s eyes.
“I’ll go get them.”
With that, he turned and strode off.
“Huh? Wouldn’t it be enough to just tell them to come in…?”
Did he really need to go pick them up personally?
The director looked stunned.
Before he could finish speaking, Nie Luo was already gone.
The director stood there dazed for a moment, then hurried after him.
Wait—what?
Could the person coming be some top-tier star from Tenghuang?
Otherwise, why would Nie Luo go out personally to receive them???
Nie Luo’s expression was still the familiar cold indifference everyone was used to seeing, but his steps were quick as he headed outside the set.
As soon as he reached the entrance, he spotted Fan Qing standing there with Yuan Jing, who looked visibly nervous.
“A-Qing.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but Fan Qing immediately turned around.
“Brother—Nie-ge.”
Why did Nie Luo come out himself?
Fan Qing quickly led Yuan Jing forward.
He was pleasantly surprised, but also a little taken aback.
Although he had personally brought Yuan Jing over precisely because he wanted to see Nie Luo, he truly hadn’t expected Nie Luo to come out to meet them himself.
Nie Luo instinctively glanced at Yuan Jing, who nervously followed Fan Qing and called out “Nie-ge” as well.
Fan Qing immediately understood.
“It’s fine. He won’t say anything careless.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Yuan Jing.
Yuan Jing froze.
Won’t say anything careless?
Even so, he obediently nodded.
“I won’t say anything.”
“Mm.”
Nie Luo nodded, then turned his gaze back to Fan Qing.
“I wanted to see you, so I came out.”
Even though he had already guessed it, hearing it with his own ears still felt different.
Fan Qing curved his lips and nodded openly.
“Me too.”
Yuan Jing went blank.
Yuan Jing gradually turned to stone.
Wait—what???
They’re just… that openly flirting right in front of him?
Aren’t they worried he might say something?
Oh, so that’s why Manager Fan said that just now?
That makes sense.
The blank look in Yuan Jing’s eyes slowly settled into calm.
Manager Fan was in charge of the whole company now, and Yuan Jing was one of the company’s people. Of course they wouldn’t be afraid of him saying anything.
Though he really wouldn’t say anything anyway.
After figuring it out, Yuan Jing quietly shuffled a step to the side.
Well—obedient. Well-behaved.
Fan Qing didn’t get much chance to talk with Nie Luo, though.
Because the director caught up.
As soon as he arrived, he recognized Fan Qing’s face—already quite distinctive within the industry.
So it was Manager Fan personally bringing someone over?
No wonder Nie Luo had gone out to meet them himself. The two of them seemed to be on pretty good terms.
After exchanging a few greetings, the director decided to proceed straight to an audition.
Even if the person was recommended by Nie Luo, he couldn’t just let them in without an audition!
Yuan Jing didn’t disappoint.
His acting was still very raw, but among newcomers, he could already be considered talented.
“Not bad!”
The director replayed the footage several times, then slapped his thigh.
This Yuan Jing was a good seedling.
Especially that slightly immature quality—it was exactly what he wanted for his film.
He stroked his chin and looked at Nie Luo.
“Then… it’s him?”
Nie Luo didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looked at Fan Qing.
“Can he make time in his schedule?”
The director slowly formed a question mark in his head.
They were casting a newcomer for a film like this, and they still had to ask about the newcomer’s schedule first?
Seeing the director’s expression, Fan Qing smiled.
“Nie-ge, don’t tease the director. Since you think highly of Yuan Jing, of course we’ll clear his schedule for this.”
He paused, then lowered his voice with a soft chuckle.
“Speaking of which, we should thank Nie-ge for giving Yuan Jing this opportunity. How about you do us the honor of having dinner together tonight?”
There was a smile in his tone, and he deliberately dragged out the ending, forcing a trace of lingering intimacy into it.
Nie Luo’s heart skipped, his gaze flickering slightly.
Where no one else could see, the tips of his ears quietly turned red.
This Manager Fan really knows how to deal with people, the director couldn’t help thinking.
Listening from the side, the director felt that what people said on Weibo really wasn’t wrong—this Manager Fan was indeed very tactful.
No wonder even someone with Nie Luo’s personality could become friends with him.
Just as he was thinking that, he heard Nie Luo refuse.
“No.”
Director: Huh?
Nie Luo refused?
Why?
Weren’t they, as he’d assumed, very close friends?
Fan Qing was also a little surprised.
Nie Luo refused?
Why?
Off to the side, the transparent-background Yuan Jing quietly poked his head out.
Well—he was a little curious!
Nie Luo didn’t notice everyone’s looks.
He cleared his throat softly and looked at Fan Qing as he explained.
“Yesterday—yesterday we already had dinner together,” he paused, a faint blush spreading across his face. “Didn’t you say yesterday that you ate too much and your stomach was upset? Let’s wait until you’re better and then…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
Because Fan Qing was looking at him with an amused expression.
He remembered.
Fan Qing stared straight at Nie Luo, his mood extremely good.
The director couldn’t help chiming in.
“If Manager Fan has an upset stomach, then he really should rest for a couple of days. But as for dinner, if you can’t eat today, eating tomorrow works just as well. Still, you two seem quite close—having dinner together just yesterday.”
“Our private relationship is indeed quite good.”
Fan Qing deliberately stressed the words private relationship.
Then he smiled faintly.
“Actually, my stomach issue is better today, but I’m guessing Nie-ge still wouldn’t agree to my dinner invitation.”
The director froze.
Why did that sentence sound like it carried some other meaning?
Was he imagining things?
He looked at Nie Luo’s face, which still revealed nothing, and cautiously probed.
“How so? Could it be that Nie Luo also ate something bad and upset his stomach?”
So… are these two actually close, or not?
He really couldn’t tell anymore.
“That’s not it.”
Fan Qing was completely open about it, his smile growing even more unrestrained.
“I had stomach trouble because I was greedy. Nie-ge did try to stop me, but there was nothing I could do—the flavor was just too good. I really couldn’t resist.”
A-Qing…
Nie Luo hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.
He hadn’t expected the conversation to go in this direction at all. The heat by his ears grew stronger and stronger.
And of course, the director kept chatting along at the side.
“Well, then it really must have been delicious. I get it. Good food is like that—except for people like Nie Luo, who have to maintain their figure as artists, ordinary folks like us definitely can’t stop once we start eating something tasty. Right, Nie Luo?”
Nie Luo went rigid from head to toe.
How was he supposed to answer that?
Was he supposed to honestly tell the director that what A-Qing meant by “delicious” was actually that?
How could he possibly say something like that out loud?!
He looked pleadingly at Fan Qing.
Fan Qing not only ignored him, he even poured fuel on the fire.
“Actually, there’s another reason Nie-ge didn’t agree to dinner today.”
He looked at Nie Luo, whose neck was already flushed red, and spoke with pointed implication.
“The dish Nie-ge wants to eat requires a certain ingredient. Without that ingredient, Nie-ge always feels the ‘flavor’ isn’t quite right. Unfortunately, that ingredient hasn’t been available these past few days, so he didn’t agree to go out to eat.”
Nie Luo wanted nothing more than to close his eyes on the spot.
A-Qing really was malicious on purpose!
The director, completely unaware of what was really going on, nodded along.
“I see. That’s not strange at all. Nie Luo has to maintain his figure, after all—he definitely can’t eat too much. I guess he only goes to that place for that particular dish, right? I get it.”
He paused, then grew a bit curious.
“But which restaurant are you talking about? I don’t think I’ve heard of any especially unique place in the city.”
Nie Luo felt like steam was about to rise from his head.
Seeing him like this, Fan Qing finally decided to show mercy and let him off.
“It’s normal that the director hasn’t heard of it. We were introduced by President Jin. It seems that aside from President Jin’s circle, no one really knows that place. Maybe it’s an old friend of President Jin’s?”
President Jin?
The director searched his memory for anyone significant with that surname.
Then it hit him—the president of Tenghuang wasn’t that Jin Second Young Master?
So the President Jin Fan Qing mentioned was…
He went slightly speechless.
And the way he looked at the two of them instantly changed—it was like looking at immortals.
These two actually knew that person, and judging by the way they spoke, they were on very good terms, too…