153: Play

Shen Lian broke into a cold sweat for Zhou Yuanlin.

Five minutes later, Ning Sixian said casually, "Oh, Yuanlin said something came up at the company, so he can't make it."

Sun Binghe gave Ning Sixian a meaningful look and smiled. "No matter, we'll see each other eventually."

Ning Sixian: "..." Lin, this is all your brother can do to help you.

Unsurprisingly, for at least the next three months, Zhou Yuanlin wouldn't be seen within five hundred meters of anywhere Sun Binghe appeared.

Feng Yueshan's phone had been buzzing incessantly. He was too exhausted from drinking and kept nodding off, too lazy to look at it. If he had, Young Master Feng would have seen that Zhou Yuanlin was currently cursing out his entire family tree.

Sun Binghe asked Feng Yueshan in a good mood, "What else did CEO Zhou say?"

Feng Yueshan thought for a moment, then huffed, "Trying to bait me? Make me betray my brother? Don't even think about it."

Ning Sixian's expression was simply beyond words.

Sun Binghe didn't press further; that one sentence was enough.

“What will happen?” Shen Lian whispered to Chu Yilan.

Chu Yilan thought seriously for a moment: "He probably won't die."

Shen Lian: "..."

Feng Yueshan fell asleep again clutching a pillow. In his dream, there was a vast expanse of green land with no tall buildings or flashing lights. A single tree stood where the sky met the earth in the distance. He smelled the scent of natural soil. Feng Yueshan's mind was blank and relaxed; he only vaguely remembered that he seemed to be waiting for someone.

Sun Binghe was called over by Ning Sixian to drink. Since he didn't have to return to the film crew tonight, Chu Yilan told him to do as he pleased.

He had originally intended to just have a small drink, but Assistant Sun was a man whose very bones were written with the words "refusal to lose." After losing two rounds of dice to Ning Sixian and hearing the other's laughter, his competitive streak immediately flared up.

While Shen Lian told Chu Yilan interesting stories from filming, the number of people in the private room gradually dwindled.

Chen Mu arrived about two hours later. He had been quite busy lately, but instead of being tired, he was full of drive—countless times better than when he was sitting on the sidelines at Luminous.

The door to the private room pushed open, and a cool breeze snuck in. As it brushed past his nose and ears, Feng Yueshan caught a scent similar to green tea.

He opened his eyes slightly.

Chen Mu paused while closing the door, keenly sensing that the atmosphere had changed.

And why wouldn't it? Even Sun Binghe and Ning Sixian, who were playing dice and drinking on the other side, cast seemingly casual glances over.

But Chen Mu couldn't quite put his finger on it, so he just stepped forward to greet everyone one by one.

It had to be said that Chen Mu's transformation became clearer with every meeting.

The exhaustion and numbness of someone constantly planning to leave the industry had vanished. The outfit he wore was likely a brand sponsorship: white pants paired with a light gray windbreaker, and his hair was styled in a slightly elevated, lazy look. His aura was just the right amount of flamboyant, tempered by the innate peacefulness in his bones.

Feng Yueshan blinked.

“Young Master Feng,” Chen Mu called out.

His tone was gentle, carrying a hint of the joy of seeing a friend, but nothing more.

Feng Yueshan gave an "Mm," burrowed his head back into the pillow to find a comfortable position, and went back to sleep.

Everyone: "..."

That's it?

The expected scene of Feng Yueshan losing his composure after drinking and exposing his own triggers didn't happen. He seemed to have truly fallen asleep, his slightly furrowed brow smoothing out.

Could they have overthought it?

Chen Mu didn't know the reason behind it. After sitting down next to Shen Lian, he began to talk about his recent situation. Perhaps because Shen Lian was his scout, Chen Mu had a strong desire to share. Chu Yilan couldn't feel the slightest hostility toward him, so he got up to find Ning Sixian, giving them some space.

“I also took on a role recently; I'll be joining the crew in another month.” There was a light in Chen Mu's eyes. “It's the third male lead, Teacher Shen.”

Compared to the background characters he played before, Chen Mu was very satisfied.

“Seize the opportunity,” Shen Lian replied. “With your current acting skills, you just need to polish the details; you don't need to start from zero. When you encounter those great actors, interact with them more. Don't be afraid of losing face or getting the cold shoulder.”

Chen Mu: “Okay.”

“What perfume is that?” Feng Yueshan suddenly interjected.

Shen Lian and Chen Mu both fell silent at the same time.

Feng Yueshan opened his eyes and frowned at Chen Mu, appearing dissatisfied that he hadn't answered, so he asked again: “What perfume?”

Chen Mu snapped out of it: “Ah, it's a third-tier brand. I took on an endorsement for them.”

Chen Mu mentioned a name and the specific series he was using. Feng Yueshan thought about it seriously; he had indeed never heard of it. It was likely the kind of brand that would never appear in his wardrobe.

“Have you eaten?” Feng Yueshan asked again.

Chen Mu nodded. “The partner provided a boxed lunch.”

Feng Yueshan's eyelashes fluttered slightly, indicating he had heard.

Then he closed his eyes again, his spirit appearing to wander elsewhere.

Chen Mu whispered: “How much did he drink?”

Shen Lian: “He was already like this when we arrived.”

The two chatted for over twenty minutes before Sun Binghe returned, his steps a bit unsteady.

Shen Lian was shocked. “Wait, Assistant Sun, you got drunk that fast?”

“Fifty-four percent alcohol, who could handle that?” After sitting down, Sun Binghe gave Chen Mu a gentle and polite smile.

Shen Lian added fuel to the fire from the side: “Incredible. Most people can't even get a pleasant look from our Assistant Sun.”

“He gets a perfect score,” Sun Binghe said succinctly.

Chen Mu had noticed the first time they met that Sun Binghe was someone very serious and obsessed with exact data, specifically manifested in grades.

Feng Yueshan sobered up a bit and stood up wobbling, clamoring to continue with Ning Sixian. Chu Yilan signaled Sun Binghe to stop him. It was fine for him to pretend to sleep in that pathetic state, but there was no need to go and throw himself in Ning Sixian's face.

Sun Binghe pulled Feng Yueshan back: “I'll drink with Young Master Feng.”

Feng Yueshan looked unhappy: “Fine.”

He had been spoiled by his family and these brothers. He was the youngest, five months younger than even Ning Sixian. He had been indignant about it as a child, feeling he was at a disadvantage, but he had gained plenty of benefits over the years by acting spoiled and being difficult because of it.

Feng Yueshan ordered some specially mixed drinks. They tasted good, but the alcohol content wasn't low. Sun Binghe's tolerance was average, but he excelled at accompanying others. As he clinked glasses intermittently with Feng Yueshan, the conversation between Shen Lian and Chen Mu became a sort of "side dish" to their drinks.

When mentioning Shi Zhujie and Song Yuan, a faint look of disgust appeared on Chen Mu's face. Sun Binghe interjected appropriately: “Don't worry. Lately, I've been following Teacher Shen. If they act like bastards again, I'll take care of them for you as well.”

“Thank you, Assistant Sun, but it's really not necessary,” Chen Mu said hurriedly.

Sun Binghe: “It's just convenient.”

Hearing this, Feng Yueshan looked sideways at Sun Binghe. “This is the first time I've known Assistant Sun to be so philanthropic.”

“Young Master Feng, if you don't know how to use an adjective, you don't have to use one.”

The dim, flickering lights of the private room could easily confuse one's nerves. By the time Chu Yilan finished dealing with Ning Sixian and returned satisfied, he saw that the empty glasses from Sun Binghe and Feng Yueshan's drinking already filled the table.

“I told you two to just have a casual drink, not to drink like your lives depended on it.” Chu Yilan had a rare look of helplessness.

“Assistant Sun is fun. Once he's drunk, he falls for any provocation.” Feng Yueshan was incredibly happy. “As expected, I'm the strongest one.”

Sun Binghe lowered his head, his voice very deep: “Strong my ass.”

Feng Yueshan huffed: “Believe it or not, I can make you have a breakdown with just one sentence.”

An ominous premonition rose in Chu Yilan's heart.

Sun Binghe slowly raised his head, gesturing with his eyes for him to continue.

Feng Yueshan: “In my second year of middle school, for four consecutive midterm and final exams, I didn't score above twenty in math.”

Everyone: "..."

Sun Binghe's confident expression was instantly shattered, and he was completely stunned on the spot.