42: Chang Qing
The rain fell intermittently, and the damp air mixed with the smell of soaked earth. From time to time, Shen Lian would say to Chu Zhumi, "You're a lucky one; you're bound to have a bright future, young man!"
That's right, under Shen Lian's dictatorial rule, the little cow-patterned cat was named "Chu Zhumi."
Chu Yilan had no objection to its name, but he had a huge problem with the surname, always feeling that Shen Lian was insulting him in a roundabout way.
To this, Shen Lian simply played dumb.
Aunt Fen, on the other hand, found calling it "Zhu Mi" quite natural.
Inside the study—
Shen Lian tilted his head to push Chu Yilan away and said in a raspy voice, "I need to go to Lin City the day after tomorrow."
Chu Yilan pinched his chin and gave him a kiss. "For what?"
"Work. Location scouting and shooting. The brand requested it; I'll probably be gone for two days."
Chu Yilan suddenly found Shen Lian's job a bit annoying. He couldn't stay still; as soon as the Agent spoke up, he was ready to leave.
"Flowers will be delivered to your office on time. Call me if anything happens."
Chu Yilan gave a light snort. "What could possibly happen to me?"
On the day of departure, Shen Lian woke up early with Chu Yilan. The nanny van was waiting at the door. Shen Lian had already carried his suitcase to the entryway when he looked back and saw Chu Yilan still standing there. Although he was expressionless and looked as cold and aloof as usual, Shen Lian felt he needed to do something.
He put down his suitcase and stepped forward to hug Chu Yilan.
Master Chu looked down at him. "How old are you now?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I'm just reluctant to leave. One last hug." Shen Lian chuckled craftily.
The gloom in Chu Yilan's eyes dissipated slightly. Finally, he raised his hand and patted Shen Lian's back twice. "Be careful on the road. Come back as soon as you're done."
"I will!"
Li Yi and Jiang You had everything ready. Once Shen Lian got in the car, they set off immediately.
It was only a three-hour drive to Lin City from there; they just needed to arrive before 2:30 PM.
Shen Lian double-checked the shooting requirements and related details while chatting with Jiang You and the others. Time passed quickly.
However, the closer they got to Lin City, the heavier the rain became.
The car skidded once. Li Yi had no choice but to turn on the hazard lights and double flashers, temporarily pulling over to the side of the road.
The rain hammered against the car windows with a loud pitter-patter; Shen Lian almost thought it was hailing.
Jiang You stayed in contact with the brand. They said location scouting would be difficult in this weather, so they told Shen Lian to take his time and stay safe.
[We've pulled over. We'll continue once the rain lets up a bit.]
Just as Shen Lian sent the message, the other side replied: [If it's that much trouble, just come back.]
Shen Lian laughed in spite of himself: [Nonsense. You're busy. I'll contact you once I arrive.]
After being delayed for another full hour, Shen Lian and the others finally arrived at the location designated by the brand with great difficulty.
This was a large-scale filming venue. Staff members were everywhere, rushing about with various high-end couture garments or constantly on their phones.
The brand Aifu had risen to fame over the past two years for its skincare products and bags. Their slogan was "Essential Items for the Exquisite Woman." Coupled with the fact that they truly put a lot of effort into their products, they were now highly regarded and loved by consumers.
Therefore, when Hu Kailan mentioned collaborating with Aifu, Shen Lian was quite surprised. When did his traffic become so good?
"Your Brother Hu practically begged and pleaded to get this for you." Hu Kailan was gradually feeling more at ease with Shen Lian, only offering a symbolic reminder: "Even though it's not a hot-selling product, please complete the shoot smoothly."
Shen Lian: "Of course."
Hu Kailan wanted to assign two Bodyguards to Shen Lian, but Shen Lian refused.
It wasn't necessary. Once he put on a mask and sunglasses, who would recognize him? Not even half of the fans who had run off before had returned yet; he wasn't at the level of attracting massive crowds just yet. Being here with just the two assistants was enough.
After waiting for five minutes, a representative from the brand came running over. She was a Young Girl around twenty-four or twenty-five, wearing sky-high heels and a professional pencil skirt. She immediately apologized to Shen Lian: "Sorry, Teacher Shen, I was delayed by some business."
Shen Lian was very easygoing: "It's fine. What's the plan?"
"I'll take you to the VIP area to rest for a bit first. It's been a long journey; you and your assistants can have some tea. With such heavy rain, no one can go outside."
"Alright."
As soon as they reached the VIP area, the surroundings instantly became quiet.
Jiang You ordered a cup of milk tea and reported their progress to Hu Kailan.
"Whoa." Li Yi suddenly gasped in surprise, then lowered his voice, "Is that Chang Qing?"
Chang Qing?
The name sounded familiar to Shen Lian. A handsome and refined face drifted through his mind. Oh, the "Ice Beauty" of the industry. He looked up, and it really was him.
Chang Qing was a specialist in Xianxia dramas, particularly the kind of cold and ethereal Master roles, which he nailed every time. Just when everyone thought he could only stay in his comfort zone, he exploded in popularity with a police procedural drama.
In it, he played the taciturn but sensitive and gentle second male lead who eventually died for justice. That determined and blood-and-iron gaze was unforgettable, and it completely overturned the audience's stereotypes in one fell swoop.
Later, several veteran actors familiar with Chang Qing said that his range was actually very wide and he was a natural-born actor. His only flaw was laziness; he played "Master" roles because he was used to them—it saved time and effort without hindering his earnings.
Fans were left both amused and exasperated.
You couldn't even say Chang Qing was slacking off because every role he took on was flawlessly executed.
That was one thing, but Chang Qing's resources were also extraordinarily good. Even when he played a supporting role, it was for a major, star-studded IP.
Through the memories of the Original Host, Shen Lian recalled something else.
Chang Qing had once appeared on a show with Zheng Ge. Someone—it was unclear which side—bought a trending search claiming Zheng Ge was the "Little Chang Qing." Even though Zheng Ge already had a certain fan base at the time, he was criticized into oblivion.
Zheng Ge was fine on his own, but when placed next to Chang Qing, he just didn't measure up.
In terms of acting alone, the latter could completely outclass the former.
As for their images, in the words of the netizens at the time: [I don't understand how a rabbit spirit dares to stand beside an immortal.]
Accurate and biting.
At this moment, Chang Qing tilted his head slightly, allowing his male assistant to fix his folded collar. As if sensing something, Chang Qing looked over.
Shen Lian met his gaze openly, gave a slight smile, and nodded.
Out of politeness, Chang Qing also gave a slight nod.
This person isn't hard to get along with, Shen Lian thought.
Chang Qing was there for a new perfume endorsement, while Shen Lian was there for... a pair of uniquely styled pants.
Those drop-crotch black pants priced at 18,000 yuan were practically torturing Shen Lian's aesthetic sense, but there was no helping it—they paid too much.
Chang Qing was likely also there for an outdoor shoot. Now trapped in the VIP room, he sat diagonally across from Shen Lian.
When Li Yi looked up for the fifth time, Shen Lian asked with a smile, "What, is he your idol?"
"No," Li Yi explained hurriedly, "Teacher Shen, I am completely loyal to you!"
"Look at you. It's normal to have your own idols."
"It's not me, it's my younger sister," Li Yi continued. "My sister's birthday is coming up. She's crazy about Chang Qing; he's the only one she likes in the industry."
Shen Lian gave an "Mm" and made a mental note of it.