“It’s over, Brother Han! Down to the Countryside is airing right now. The internet is definitely going to start cursing again!” Chen Zhao paced like an ant on a hot pan. Seeing Yue Han standing like a wooden figure made his heart hurt. “Are you okay?”
Yue Han turned his head and smiled faintly. “Of course I’m okay.”
It wasn’t as though he had never encountered this situation before.
He might have been unpopular, but his face was decent enough. Plenty of directors had considered using him.
But they discovered that whenever Yue Han was mentioned on an official drama account, or netizens learned he would appear in a production, that drama would immediately be subjected to a massive boycott.
TV dramas were made for viewers. Viewers were netizens. Even if it meant breaching the contract, directors would still terminate Yue Han.
It was only a small role. The contractual penalty would not be much.
Hong Zidong approached with a complicated expression. Yue Han’s heart felt weighted with stones and dropped into an abyss, yet his face remained calm. “Director Hong.”
Hong Zidong looked as though words had been trapped in him for a long time. “I’ve held this in forever. Today I have to say it.”
What had to come would still come. Yue Han smiled. “Director Hong, say whatever you need to.”
Chen Zhao could no longer bear to listen. His eyes stung, tears threatening to fall at any moment.
Hong Zidong abruptly grabbed Yue Han’s shoulders, expectation shining in his eyes. “That feeling from the screen test—you can still find it, right? You can still perform like that?”
Yue Han stared blankly, then nodded.
Hong Zidong dragged Yue Han impatiently toward the prepared set. “Everyone, get to work! We’re filming Fu Xun!”
Chen Zhao suddenly came back to life. He pulled out his phone. In only a short time, the Weibo trending topics had changed again.
#XuXingzheApologizes#
#YangErStatement#
#YueHanIsInnocent#
All three had climbed into the top ten.
Xu Xingzhe V: I am extremely grateful to Director Hong Zidong for his recognition and trust. Yue Han truly is more suitable for the role of Fu Xun. In the coming period, I will use my best condition to portray Lin Chen.
Yang Er V: I terminated my contract with Director Hong Zidong because my film schedule conflicted with the production. Director Hong showed great mercy by not charging me a termination fee. I’m so moved I could prostrate myself in admiration. As for what the marketing accounts are saying? What? Dark dealings? What? Forced out? This humble one does not understand.
At first, the entire internet had spoken up for Xu Xingzhe and Yang Er, supposedly victims of unfair treatment and behind-the-scenes manipulation. Now the situation reversed completely.
According to an insider, the second male role had originally been intended for Yue Han to take over, but Yue Han had now become the fourth male role instead.
Meanwhile, the supposedly long-suffering Xu Xingzhe had been promoted from fourth male role to second male lead.
Xu Xingzhe’s earlier post about enduring quietly now became a joke. Netizens picked up their keyboards and began attacking him instead.
Who exactly had suffered?
Was getting the second male lead instead of the fourth male role supposed to be suffering?
[Were you treating us like dogs for entertainment? Turning hater. No explanation needed.]
[I fucking wasted all that sympathy on you? Turns out you were the boss who profited most? Weren’t you selling a warm-guy persona? You’re a green-tea bitch in male form.]
[Our Xingzhe got the second male role through his own ability. You people have no idea how hard he works.]
The fiercer their anger had been before, the deeper their guilt became now.
Netizens did not hesitate to express sympathy and remorse toward Yue Han. They flooded his Weibo comments with apologies, and his natural behavior on Down to the Countryside also won him quite a few mother-fans.
He worked efficiently, spoke politely, and respected his elders.
What a well-behaved young man!
[Vomit. Starting to switch personas now? So fake. Building that tent must have been so hard for him. Calm on the surface, probably cursing everyone’s mother inside.]
When the haters saw footage of Yue Han fighting five large men alone, they became even more unable to tolerate it.
[This is way too fake, okay? If you’re going to script it, at least make it believable.]
[I’m not even a Yue Han hater, but this really is too much. Couldn’t they hire extras who cared? At least resist for a couple moves.]
Then they saw Yue Han chase the pig with terrifying speed. The pig squealed in panic, got frightened enough to jump into the river, and Yue Han dove straight in without hesitation and subdued the animal in no time.
The comments/chat no longer knew what to curse.
If this was also done to create a persona, then Yue Han truly worked hard for it.
Getting into freezing water on a day this cold was already enough to inspire admiration.
Getting into freezing water to catch a pig…
Looking honestly into their own hearts, they could not do it.
Xu Xingzhe knew speaking now would definitely attract abuse, but there was no choice. He absolutely had to secure the second male role.
The second male lead was a high-IQ positive character with a strong chance of winning awards.
Xu Xingzhe was taking a career-focused path. He could not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity go.
If people cursed him, then let them curse. The internet’s memory was short anyway. As long as he produced good work, everyone would change their opinion of him.
As for Yue Han…
Xu Xingzhe looked coldly toward Yue Han before the camera. A fallen, perverted villain as a character. Hah.
What did Yue Han have to compare with him?
This was Fu Xun’s first appearance.
Life in this ancient city moved slowly while the economy developed at high speed. The mismatch between daily life and economic development bred a series of contradictions.
Fu Xun came from a wealthy family, yet had been born a highly intelligent antisocial personality.
Three days ago, he had murdered a little girl returning home from tutoring.
Three days later, the young genius police officer discovered clues at the crime scene, learned Fu Xun was at a bar, and hurriedly led a team there to arrest him.
Dim lights cast ambiguous afterglow like dusk beneath the night sky. Projected lights drifted unpredictably amid intense music and dancing.
The moment Chu Mi entered the bar, dislike rose in him. He pulled out his police identification, only for a woman in revealing clothes to hook a finger under his chin.
One could imagine how foul Chu Mi’s mood became.
A group in police uniforms entered the bar, yet nobody stopped swaying. On the contrary, their movements grew even more exaggerated.
Chu Mi frowned at the unpleasant smell. “Are these people on drugs?”
Lin Chen said helplessly, “No. This is a legitimate bar.”
“This counts as legitimate?!” Chu Mi was stunned.
Men and women had their bodies almost pressed together, yet nobody found it strange. They merely laughed ambiguously and returned to their own games.
Just as Chu Mi struggled with what step to take next, someone let out a shocked “Ah!” and everyone’s movement paused.
The wild, ghostlike dancing stopped. Every gaze converged in one direction, every face showing obsession and amazement.
Combined with this background, their expressions made them look possessed.
That was what Chu Mi thought as he followed their gazes.
Chu Mi’s breath stopped.
A man leaned lazily against the ornate railing on the second floor, wearing a simple white shirt. The loose collar revealed a pale, sensual chest and beautifully shaped collarbones.
His right hand supported him against the railing. His left elegantly held a wineglass. His refined, graceful face was clear as a bright moon in the night sky.
Everyone’s gaze was drawn to him. He looked only at Chu Mi.
The corner of his mouth curved. He raised the gently swirling glass of red wine toward Chu Mi, its surface reflecting brilliant multicolored lights.
Chu Mi swallowed. Those dark eyes seemed to smile, yet bottomless cold hid beneath them.
Even knowing the man was dangerous, one could not help being drawn to his charm.
But a person like this…
Was precisely someone he could not let go easily.
“Excellent! Pass!” Hong Zidong’s face was bright red. “Lan Che, that shift in your expression just now was perfect! Amazed but not bewitched, while also showing your sense of danger and suspicion toward Fu Xun. Good. Very good!”
“And Yue Han, your Fu Xun feels exactly right! I was worried you might not know how to play Fu Xun when he’s acting normal. I didn’t expect you to be this good whether he’s normal or abnormal!” Hong Zidong put his hands on his hips and laughed. “I really found treasure!”
Lan Che looked toward Yue Han with an almost imperceptible glance. Yue Han’s expression remained calm, his response to praise only a faint smile.
He neither claimed credit nor became arrogant. He truly had an excellent temper.
Lan Che’s gaze uncontrollably slipped into the opening of Yue Han’s loosened collar.
Pale skin smooth as fine white jade, collarbone lines flowing in a way that seemed to tempt the mind.
Yue Han was speaking with Chen Zhao. Chen Zhao was extremely excited and gesturing wildly, while Yue Han listened patiently.
Suddenly, Yue Han turned and looked at Lan Che.
Lan Che did not avoid him. Instead, he looked even more openly.
Yue Han smiled faintly at Lan Che.
Lan Che’s throat went dry. He quickly turned away, grabbed his coat, and walked out.
Luo Fanfan looked confused. “Brother Che, where are you going?! You still have scenes later!”
Without looking back, Lan Che said, “Restroom.”
When Lan Che reached the restroom, the first thing he did was pull cigarettes and a lighter from his coat and quickly light one.
He normally did not smoke. He only smoked when irritated or troubled. Most of the time, the cigarettes and lighter were merely decorations.
He sat on the closed toilet lid with a grave expression.
White smoke curled before his eyes. He repeatedly tried to summon other memories to cover what was in his mind, but the image of Yue Han leaning against the railing and raising his glass replayed again and again, refusing to stop.
He felt as though he had been bewitched.
Ten minutes later, after nearly choking himself to death with smoke, Lan Che finally calmed down somewhat.
At least he no longer felt hot all over the instant he thought of Yue Han.
Lan Che moved to another stall to let the smell disperse before coming out to wash his hands. By coincidence, he ran into Yue Han’s assistant, Chen Zhao.
Chen Zhao looked surprised. “Teacher Lan, were you in the restroom this whole time…?”
Lan Che had been gone for a while. Chen Zhao estimated roughly half an hour.
Lan Che nodded politely.
Chen Zhao said, “…Teacher Lan, are you constipated? I can tell you a folk remedy. It works really well…”
Lan Che refused. “Thank you, but I’m not constipated.”
After drying his hands, Lan Che strode away on long legs. Chen Zhao watched his tall, powerful back with a thoughtful expression.
Not constipated?
Could it be…
The crew began preparing the next scene. Chen Zhao mysteriously pulled Yue Han aside. “Brother Han, I discovered an earth-shattering secret.”
Yue Han cooperatively showed a curious expression.
Chen Zhao checked the surroundings, made sure nobody was eavesdropping, then covered his mouth with one hand and whispered, “Teacher Lan is impotent!”
“…” Yue Han first looked blank, then abruptly straightened in shock. “Huh?!”
The commotion drew Lan Che’s attention. He turned his head and saw Yue Han staring at him like a startled rabbit, pupils dark and brilliant, as if he had encountered something utterly unbelievable.
Yue Han fled from his gaze and lowered his voice. “Don’t say nonsense!”
“How am I saying nonsense? What normal man takes nearly half an hour to pee? He’s definitely fucking impotent, and the incurable kind.” If it wasn’t constipation, the only thing left to do in a restroom was pee. But a normal man taking half an hour to pee? There was absolutely a problem. Chen Zhao added, “Brother Han, tell me. How long does it take you to pee?”
How could Yue Han possibly answer that?
Chen Zhao knew Yue Han was thin-skinned. “Brother Han, I finally understand why Teacher Lan doesn’t date. Being busy is one reason. The other is… sigh! The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!”
If Lan Che were exposed as unable to perform in XX matters, it would become huge news.
Rather than be exposed and mocked later, it made sense to establish a detached, desireless persona from the beginning.
Chen Zhao had a talent for brainwashing. Listening to his entire chain of seemingly logical analysis, Yue Han was somehow persuaded.
“Why do you keep looking at me? Is there something on my face?” Lan Che walked to Yue Han’s side and asked.
Yue Han’s face reddened. He bit his lower lip and shook his head while Chen Zhao’s words replayed in his mind.
Reduced to four words, the conclusion was simple: Lan Che was impotent.
Yue Han could not stop his gaze from drifting downward.
Could Lan Che really be…?