38: Call them to play together
This facial mask advertisement was considered a third-tier endorsement, but for Shen Lian to make such a quick comeback and land it was already very impressive.
On the day of the shoot, the person driving the van wasn't Jiang You, but a new male assistant named Li Yi.
Jiang You was in the back, double-checking if everything they needed for the day was packed.
During Shen Lian's few days of rest, Jiang You and Li Yi had been working together to get used to each other, and they spoke quite familiarly now.
Seeing Shen Lian, Li Yi politely greeted him, "Teacher Shen."
Hu Kailan and Jiang You had already introduced them beforehand. Shen Lian acknowledged him and asked, "Is it alright if I call you Xiao Li from now on?"
"Sure, sure, anything's fine."
Li Yi was a steady driver, occasionally bickering with Jiang You along the way.
Shen Lian listened quietly, feeling that as long as the atmosphere was harmonious, it was fine.
The filming studio was at the headquarters of Chun Cao. The name was a bit rustic, but in the past two years, it had become a rising star among domestic brands, and the company building was not shabby at all.
Unlike previous shoots where no one received him, this time, as soon as the car stopped, staff members came forward, busy serving tea and water, and politely asking a few questions.
Shen Lian was well-versed in this. As long as the brand had everything arranged, he could "get to work at light speed."
Shen Lian now had both the looks and the camera presence. Aside from the time spent on makeup, the shoot went exceptionally smoothly.
The person in charge was on-site. Perhaps Shen Lian's professionalism suited his taste, because after the shoot ended, he said he wanted to treat Shen Lian to dinner.
Li Yi immediately went out to make a phone call and returned in less than a minute. He stood by Shen Lian's side and whispered, "Brother Hu said it's okay to socialize; this person in charge is quite reliable."
Hu Kailan was not a useless person like Qian Gao, so Shen Lian gladly accepted.
There were two men and one woman from the brand side. Along with Shen Lian and his two assistants, a private room was more than enough.
Everyone had things to do, so they only ate and didn't drink.
Shen Lian found it very convenient. Halfway through the meal, he stepped out to use the restroom.
Afterward, he leaned against the corridor entrance, wondering what to send to Chu Yilan. They hadn't been in touch all morning, and he was worried the man might feel neglected.
Chu Yilan was sensitive and had just undergone scar revision, so his aura was always a bit gloomy. Regardless, Shen Lian felt bad for him and was willing to put in extra effort to dote on him.
"Holy crap, brother..."
Before Shen Lian could think of what to say, someone suddenly threw an arm around him from behind, and the smell of alcohol instantly wafted over. If Shen Lian hadn't recognized the voice, he would have almost thrown an elbow back.
"President Feng? You're out for dinner too?" Seeing who it was, Shen Lian put away his phone.
"Yeah." Feng Yueshan was clearly drunk, swaying on his feet. "What about you? Who are you eating with?"
To Shen Lian, it sounded like he was checking up on him.
"Partners from the Chun Cao company," Shen Lian replied.
Feng Yueshan grabbed Shen Lian's arm. "Where? Let me see."
Shen Lian pointed to the private room door. "Right there."
To his surprise, Feng Yueshan actually pushed the door open.
Even though Feng Yueshan was drunk, a hint of clarity appeared in his eyes as he scanned the room. Hmm, just a table of food, no smoke, no alcohol. Pass!
Feng Yueshan closed the door and said to Shen Lian, "I'm in 101. Once your dinner is over, come find me to hang out."
Shen Lian: "I still have to go home to accompany Master Chu."
"Is he a child?" Feng Yueshan was speechless at Shen Lian's exceptionally serious look. No wonder Ning Sixian had said on the phone earlier that these two were hurting his eyes.
"I'll call Yilan over as well."
Shen Lian: "Then no problem."
Feng Yueshan stared at Shen Lian for a moment and blurted out, "Alright then."
Feng Yueshan wobbled away, and Shen Lian returned to the private room.
As soon as he sat down, he heard the person in charge of the dinner say, "That person just now... looked like President Feng from Ding Tian International?"
Shen Lian: "That was him."
The person in charge's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but he didn't dare ask more. He only became even more polite to Shen Lian.
After the meal ended and the partners were seen off, Shen Lian told Li Yi and Jiang You to be careful driving home and then went to 101.
He bumped right into a waiter who was about to leave, and then heard Feng Yueshan shout, "Shen Lian! Over here!"
The smoke in the room wasn't heavy, but wine bottles were scattered everywhere. As soon as Shen Lian sat down, someone offered him a toast, but Feng Yueshan raised his hand to block it. "No drinking, no drinking. This one doesn't drink."
The other person was puzzled: "Why not?"
"For the sake of my life!" Feng Yueshan said, "He really doesn't drink."
It was clear that Feng Yueshan was the most influential person there. After Shen Lian spoke a few words with him, everyone got up to change locations. Having eaten and drunk their fill, the next part was entertainment and karaoke.
One group of people left, and a new group arrived. In the dim and decadent entertainment club, Shen Lian ordered a glass of lemon water.
His features were even more distinct and beautiful in the dark. The soft lines from the bridge of his nose to his lips were unforgettable. Shen Lian gazed at the tea in his glass, ripples swaying in his tender eyes. He blended into the scene yet revealed an incongruous gentle and handsome elegance.
Secretly, quite a few people were stunned by the sight.
Feng Yueshan sent several messages to Chu Yilan, all of which went unanswered.
Fine, ignoring him, are you?
Feng Yueshan was persistent and switched to making a video call.
On the third attempt, Chu Yilan picked up. He was clearly in his office, and his first words to Feng Yueshan were, "You're so bored every single day. How can your old man stand you?"
"At Morning Star. Come over and play."
Chu Yilan: "I'm busy. Next time."
"Just this once."
Chu Yilan raised an eyebrow. "Since when can you make decisions for me?"
Before he could finish, Feng Yueshan's camera flashed past a certain direction.
Chu Yilan's expression immediately changed. "When did you call Shen Lian over?"
"Holy crap! You saw him just like that?"
Chu Yilan: "Which floor of Morning Star?"
Feng Yueshan was speechless: "...You really are... you f*cking..."
The surroundings were very noisy, so Shen Lian didn't notice Feng Yueshan calling Chu Yilan. He just turned his head and saw Feng Yueshan cursing something with a look of grief and indignation.
"You guy who values lovers over friends!"
Who would believe it if word got out that Master Chu would one day value lovers over friends?
Feng Yueshan gave Shen Lian a few instructions: "As for alcohol, drink if you want, and don't if you don't. I'm going over there to entertain some friends."
Shen Lian took a sip of his lemon water. "Okay."
Sure enough, some newcomers seeing Shen Lian for the first time couldn't help but ask the friends beside them, their eyes unable to move away from him.
"Who's that?"
"Brought by President Feng."
"Which family's young master?"
"Seems to be some minor celebrity."
A minor celebrity? That's easy to handle.
Someone who was itching with desire approached with a drink and plopped down next to Shen Lian. No matter how much they tried to restrain their expression, they couldn't hide their lust. "Have a drink?"
Shen Lian glanced at him and said calmly, "Sorry, I don't drink."
"Drink up. Who doesn't drink in a place like this?" As he spoke, he shoved his own used glass toward Shen Lian's lips.
Shen Lian leaned back and immediately raised his hand to block it. "I really don't drink."
The other person snorted. "Come on, you're just a mere actor. Didn't you come here just to..."
Before he could finish, he was grabbed by the collar from behind and yanked up.