152: The essential contrast of a strong person

On the film set, Shen Lian really did his best to demonstrate the meaning of "professionalism."

Even outsiders could see that he truly enjoyed acting.

A total of four or five veteran actors had been invited; though they weren't famous, everyone recognized them as soon as they appeared on TV, and their performances were always praised. Usually, they didn't have much to say to "young idols," but in the past two days, Shen Lian had successfully broken into their inner circle. During meals, he would be surrounded by the older men, discussing how to perform.

Director Zhao's expression was very bright.

Another thing to be thankful for was that Shi Zhujie had finally quieted down.

This man no longer lost his temper randomly, threw around casual insults, or blamed others for his poor acting. When he went to ask the Assistant Director how to handle a specific detail in a scene, Director Zhao really wanted to see if the sun had risen from the west.

That afternoon, Director Zhao didn't schedule any scenes for Shen Lian, allowing him to relax a little.

Shen Lian didn't hold back and rushed out of Film Studio City with Sun Binghe, his first priority being to find Chu Yilan.

Chu Yilan wasn't at the company but at a certain club.

Feng Yueshan had called him over to mediate a dispute, but as soon as he arrived and heard the details, Chu Yilan immediately formed a united front with Ning Sixian.

Indeed, because of that ten percent profit, Young Master Feng was about to drink himself into a stupor.

"You f*cking guys..." Feng Yueshan's speech was a bit slurred, and the shadows before his eyes overlapped. He barely recognized who was who, and the finger he pointed was shaking. "You guys have been taking advantage of being smarter than me since we were kids. Have you ever dug fewer pits for me? Why is it that I can't even play one hand?"

Ning Sixian filled his glass: "Fine, say no more, let's leave it all in the wine."

"Bullsh*t it's all in the wine, this interest of yours..." Before Feng Yueshan could finish, Ning Sixian grabbed the back of his neck, the seat of his fate, forcing him to open his mouth and welcome the storm. After drinking it clean, Feng Yueshan tried to crawl under the table. "You dog, I'm not drinking anymore..."

Ning Sixian: "Say that again?"

That was when Shen Lian's call came through.

"Where are you?"

Full of vitality yet carrying a hint of lazy ease, Shen Lian's voice was very easy to recognize.

Feng Yueshan suddenly stopped moving.

After giving the address, Chu Yilan asked, "Finished with work?"

"I'm resting this afternoon, so I'm coming to find you."

Chu Yilan immediately stood up. "I'll come pick you up."

"No need..."

Before Shen Lian could finish, Chu Yilan's phone was snatched away.

It was only because it was Feng Yueshan; otherwise, Nie Sheng had already decided where to bury him.

"Shen Lian? Hello? Shen Lian!"

Shen Lian got into the car with Sun Binghe driving. Li Yi hadn't come today, so Jiang You stayed behind to play with Liu Tang's little assistant. After ten days or so, the two Young Girls had developed a deep "revolutionary friendship," chatting incessantly every day.

Hearing this commotion, Shen Lian was amused. "Oh, Young Master Feng, can you still tell north from south?"

To his surprise, Feng Yueshan roared the next second, "Don't come alone! Bring Chen Mu with you!"

Shen Lian's eyelids twitched. On the other end, Chu Yilan, who was about to take back his phone, paused and quickly sat back down. Finally, he exchanged a look with Ning Sixian, both of them staring at Feng Yueshan with inscrutable gazes.

Shen Lian's tone was casual: "Why did Young Master Feng think of looking for Chen Mu?"

"You don't know? He has an upcoming advertisement collaboration, and it's with Dingtian," Feng Yueshan emphasized.

Shen Lian: "Then there's no need for you to personally treat him, right?"

"I want to." Feng Yueshan licked his lips. "Just call him over; he's good at brewing tea."

Shen Lian: "I'm good at brewing tea too."

"Forget it. I can make requests of him when he brews tea, but can I make requests of you?" Feng Yueshan's words were incoherent. "Hurry up. Come and manage your man; I'm about to have a stomach hemorrhage."

Shen Lian responded with a smile. Before hanging up, he heard Ning Sixian say on the other end, "It's fine, brother has saved a hospital bed for you."

"Give it back." Chu Yilan reached out his hand.

Feng Yueshan looked at the phone and then at Chu Yilan, sneering, "It's not Chen Mu's phone, do you think I care?"

Chu Yilan's chest rose and fell slightly as he pondered whether those words were a slip of the tongue.

Feng Yueshan had only shown some progress after reaching adulthood. The reason he said this was because as a child, he couldn't hide anything. Whenever he did something, he would tell Chu Yilan and Ning Sixian, "Guess, guess," and if they didn't, he would just blurt it out himself. Or if he really liked something, he would drop hints left and right until he practically showed he "wanted" it. Previously it was with objects, but now he was specifically asking for Chen Mu.

To say it was a simple invitation between friends was impossible.

Feng Yueshan was a true scion of a prominent family. He looked like he could be brothers with anyone, but subconsciously, his sense of class was distinct. Aside from his childhood friends, those he befriended later were all helpful to his family and business. He knew exactly when to be sincere and when to act.

Chen Mu was someone from the world furthest from him, and at this moment, Feng Yueshan seemed to be speaking the truth after drinking.

"Do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?" Ning Sixian suddenly asked.

Chu Yilan: "Give me one too."

"Yeah, smoking now won't affect anything." After Ning Sixian handed one to Chu Yilan, the two grabbed a lighter from the table and lit up one after the other, then silently watched Feng Yueshan, who was clinging to a cushion.

"I remember this kid likes girls," Ning Sixian said cautiously.

"Has he ever dated a girl?" Chu Yilan didn't pay much attention to this.

Ning Sixian: "He has, back in college. But it ended in three days. I remember the other party was the belle of some department."

Chu Yilan: "How did it end?"

"He sent the department belle gifts and then went drinking with his bros. When the girl hinted at a date, he said the bros' gathering couldn't be missed. After a few times like that, she broke up with him." Ning Sixian recalled seriously, "Right, this bastard even complained to me, saying that dating was nothing special."

Chu Yilan: "Yeah, that's something Feng Yueshan would do."

Another silence followed, then Ning Sixian whispered, "So what's the deal with Chen Mu?"

"Wait and see," Chu Yilan said. "Young Master Feng will prove it to us."

Half an hour later, Shen Lian pushed open the door of the private room.

The space beside Chu Yilan was always kept clear. Shen Lian walked straight to him, and the two first held hands, then looked at each other and smiled.

Sun Binghe had long since become numb to this routine, while Ning Sixian frowned with envy.

The sound of Shen Lian putting down his water cup was a bit loud. Feng Yueshan, who had been sitting and dozing, suddenly woke up. He squeezed the cushion in his arms, his eyes bleary. After looking around, his gaze finally fixed on Shen Lian, then wandered around Shen Lian's side for several rounds. Finally, he looked displeased. "You're alone?"

Shen Lian pointed to the chair next to him. "Assistant Sun is here too."

"I'm not waiting for him." Feng Yueshan asked, "Chen Mu didn't come?"

Sun Binghe's nerves twitched. Hmm?

Shen Lian clicked his tongue with a half-smile. "I called him. He said he might be late, likely in an hour."

"No problem." Feng Yueshan rested his chin on the cushion. "This party of mine can last until tomorrow."

Ning Sixian: "Don't tell me you've forgotten this is my party."

Feng Yueshan automatically ignored him. He was completely drunk, his gaze intermittently falling on Sun Binghe before he squeezed out a pained expression.

Sun Binghe: "?"

"No wonder Zhou Yuanlin looks like a mouse seeing a cat when he sees you. This upright manner—a dean of students." Feng Yueshan dug another deep pit, only this time the person being buried had changed. "Zhou Yuanlin said you'll definitely be pinned down and made to cry. This is called... oh right, the essential contrast of the strong."

Under the lights, Sun Binghe revealed a mouthful of pearly white teeth.

Ning Sixian tapped frantically on his phone screen: [Leave quickly. Assistant Sun is here. Feng Yueshan has sold you out completely.]

Downstairs, Zhou Yuanlin had just parked his car. He stared at the message in a daze, wondering what secrets were sold. Ning Sixian's second message followed: [The essential contrast of the strong—what were you thinking?]

Zhou Yuanlin slammed on the gas. Before the valet could react, the car sped around the garden and vanished, its body trembling slightly from the sudden acceleration.