***
Chapter 1 – Nightclub
『Breaking News! ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫ Confirms Yet Another Major Cast Member
Since the TV adaptation of the highly popular fantasy novel ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫ was announced, the casting has remained shrouded in mystery. Last week, the male lead was confirmed to be played by Li Yicheng. Yet the role fans are most anxious about isn’t the protagonist—it’s Qing Zhi, the immensely popular second male lead from the original novel, whose casting has yet to be revealed. Rumors suggest it will be one of these actors! Let’s see who best fits the original character and is your ideal “Qing Zhi”!』
The Weibo post was accompanied by photos of several male actors—some were currently popular traffic stars[mfn]jj当红流量 (dāng hóng liú liàng) – celebrities with massive online attention and fandom-driven metrics, regardless of acting skill.[/mfn], well-regarded capable actors, and even unknown bottom-tier names[mfn]十八线 (shí bā xiàn) – slang meaning extremely obscure or low-ranking celebrities[/mfn]—a hundred flowers gathered in one hall. The intent to provoke fan wars was obvious. Still, the investors were more than happy to see all that attention funnel in.
Numerous marketing accounts followed up with related posts. Coupled with the original novel’s massive fanbase and the fact that ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫ was one of the most anticipated big-budget productions of recent years, the news shot straight to the trending charts the moment it dropped.
In the chaotic comment section, there were also passersby[mfn]路人 (lù rén) – slang for casual viewers with no fandom affiliation; often seen as more “objective” voices.[/mfn] attracted by the accompanying photos.
【Who’s in P8[mfn]P8 – internet shorthand for “Picture 8.”; common in posts with multiple images; commenters refer to people by photo number.[/mfn]? Please recommend!】
【Sister, you’ve got great eyes! The one in the eighth picture is our Suisui. Though he’s still unknown, his future looks promising!】
【Hahahaha, the sister above is too modest, it’s funny! Let me seriously introduce him: P8 is Jiang Liusui, a talented young actor who’s graduating from the National University of Arts this month! He’s previously acted in ⟪When The Moon Is Low[mfn]低谷的月亮 (dī gǔ de yuè liàng)[/mfn]⟫ and ⟪Riding the Wind[mfn]乘风 (chéng fēng)[/mfn]⟫… His most notable role was the third male villain in ⟪The Ultimate Guide[mfn]攻略指南 (gōng lüè zhǐ nán)[/mfn]⟫—a chaotic, evil, and captivating mad beauty. Want to know more?】
【That’s our Xiao Jiang, whose unedited photos are just as good as professionally retouched ones! Besides ⟪The Ultimate Guide⟫, you should also watch ⟪Riding the Wind⟫. Our Xiao Jiang isn’t just good at playing villains—he can also convincingly play a pure, innocent high school boy.】
***
“The second male lead of ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫ is pretty much set for Tang Xiao. The final audition was probably just a formality.” Jiang Chuan looked at Jiang Liusui’s expressionless face and grumbled, “It’s only because he’s bringing investment into the production[mfn]an actor or celebrity joins a film/TV project by bringing their own funding or sponsorship, rather than being hired purely for acting.[/mfn]. In looks and acting, he doesn’t even come close to you. I heard the original author of ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫ really liked you, but I guess influence trumps talent[mfn]胳膊拧不过大腿 (gē bo níng bù guò dà tuǐ) – lit. an arm cannot twist a leg; you can’t fight someone who has greater power, money, or authority.[/mfn].”
“But there might still be a chance,” Jiang Chuan added, hesitating when Jiang Liusui turned to look at him. “I can pull some strings and get in touch with the chief director. Would you… want to have dinner with Director Wu?”
“We only sent in taped auditions before. If he meets you in person, he might reconsider. Director Wu has real authority on set—even Tang Xiao has to go through him.”
“……” Jiang Liusui fell silent. He understood exactly what Jiang Chuan was hinting at. He’d heard the rumors before—about Director Wu’s tangled, unsavory relationships with multiple artists.
“No need, Brother Jiang.” Jiang Liusui said without much emotion. “I don’t want to go look for the director.”
Money–sex transactions[mfn]钱色交易 (qián sè jiāo yì) – a blunt term which means a transaction involving money in exchange for sexual favors, i.e., prostitution or sexual bribery.[/mfn] were not rare in the industry, and most of them emphasize mutual consent. Jiang Chuan looked a little embarrassed when Jiang Liusui refused. “Ah, okay, okay… I was just mentioning it to you. If you’re not willing, we won’t pursue it. Don’t overthink it.”
Jiang Liusui had signed with the company as soon as he entered university, and Jiang Chuan had practically watched him grow up. With no background[mfn]没什么背景 (méi shén me bèi jǐng) a term for someone who has no connections, no influential family or support, often used in work, entertainment, or social contexts[/mfn] to speak of, Jiang Liusui had never been able to secure good resources, but temptations of all kinds frequently came his way. After witnessing this repeatedly, even Jiang Chuan sometimes found himself entertaining shady thoughts: with Jiang Liusui’s looks, if he were willing, how could he remain so lukewarm[mfn]不温不火 (bù wēn bù huǒ) – lit. not warm, not hot; a very common phrase describing a career that’s middling—neither a flop nor a success.[/mfn] in the industry?
“I understand,” Jiang Liusui said, giving Jiang Chuan a way out. “Brother Jiang, you’re also just anxious on my behalf.”
“It’s good that you understand,” Jiang Chuan said. Seeing how sensible Jiang Liusui was, he couldn’t help but soften. “But without ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫… it’ll be hard to find suitable work for you anytime soon. You might have to rest for the next few months. You should mentally prepare yourself.”
The “rest” Jiang Chuan referred to meant having absolutely no work at all. For a young actor with only a modest following, a near half-year of inactivity could be devastating. The fanbase he’d worked so hard to build might well shrink by more than half.
Jiang Liusui tightened his grip on his phone as Jiang Chuan offered a few more words of consolation, suggesting he use this time to reflect and learn new things.
Jiang Chuan wasn’t only responsible for him—Gallery’s hottest boy group was under his management as well. He often had little time to spare for Jiang Liusui when things got busy. After giving his instructions, Jiang Chuan hurried away.
Jiang Liusui stood frozen in place, unsure what to do next. Almost unconsciously, he unlocked his phone again—and his eyes fell back on the comment section of that Weibo post.
【I just looked it up. Isn’t Jiang Liusui signed to Shengyun? How did he end up in this state?】
【No, he’s with Gallery under Shengyun. A subsidiary.】
【The cold palace[mfn]冷宫 (lěng gōng) – lit. cold palace; originally refers to imperial concubines banished from favor. Internet slang meaning being sidelined, ignored, or abandoned by power structures.[/mfn], huh? Then that explains it. No wonder he’s got a face like that and still can’t get popular.】
Jiang Liusui had signed with Gallery when he was still attending university. Although it operated under the umbrella of Shengyun Entertainment, the subsidiary he belonged to was leagues apart from the main company. Not only were the artists inferior to Shengyun’s, but the resources were on a completely different level. Gallery was jokingly called the “cold palace,” and in every respect it was not considered outstanding within the industry.
As for the main company…
With that one superstar at the absolute peak[mfn]如日中天 (rú rì zhōng tiān) – lit. ike the sun at its zenith; describes someone at the peak of power, popularity, or success[/mfn] of his fame holding the fort, Shengyun could remain the undisputed giant of domestic entertainment—even if every other artist under its banner stopped working entirely, Shengyun could remain the undisputed giant of domestic entertainment.
For the past several years, Jiang Liusui had balanced his studies with acting. Although he could only get access to small roles, the time he spent in the industry had taught him how to keep a polite smile fixed in place.
Only when meeting friends in private would he truly relax and reveal his most genuine emotions.
The club pulsed with catchy rap music, the strongly rhythmic drumbeats pounding against the eardrums. A massive LED screen displayed flickering colored flames, while the dance floor was packed with young men and women swaying to the music.
Jiang Liusui sat at the bar when Shen Sijia spotted him and immediately launched into a rapid-fire stream of words. “Suisui, I heard ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫ might cast you as the second male lead, is that true? I love Qing Zhi so much. If you played him, you’d be absolutely perfect!”
Under normal circumstances, Jiang Liusui shouldn’t appear so openly in public places. But in the dim, ever-shifting lighting, few were likely to recognize him. Besides, this club was owned by industry insiders and known for its discretion—plenty of artists came here regularly to unwind.
“It’s probably not possible anymore.” Jiang Liusui said. The moment the words left his mouth, Shen Sijia’s cheerful chatter came to an abrupt halt as if someone had hit pause. She gave a disappointed little cry. “What? Why?”
“I think your image and temperament suit it well,” Zhou Xun said, resting his chin in his hand as he studied him. “Does the crew seriously have no eye for talent?”
Shen Sijia was Jiang Liusui’s university alumna—they’d met in a general elective course while Zhou Xun was her childhood friend. Jiang Liusui paused for a moment and only said that the production team believed there was a better candidate. He didn’t mention that someone had brought funds into the production, or that the audition had been a mere formality from the very beginning.
“What a shame,” Shen Sijia said with a regretful expression. “I saw the original author following you on Weibo earlier, so I thought you were playing the second male lead in ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫. It’s okay, it’s okay. There will definitely be better roles and scripts in the future!”
Zhou Xun looked at Jiang Liusui a few more times, as if he had guessed something, but in the end he only smiled and said, “Maybe an opportunity will come to you unexpectedly. With a face like yours, it’s only a matter of time before you become extremely popular.”
Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, his mood considerably lighter. Shen Sijia wanted to say a few more comforting words when a voice came from the side: “Hi, could I get your contact info?”
The girl who spoke was wearing a fitted spaghetti-strap dress, a pair of long legs visible beneath the khaki skirt. She held up her phone and showed Jiang Liusui a QR code for her account.
Shen Sijia initially looked nervous, but seeing that the girl didn’t seem to recognize Jiang Liusui, she subtly gestured and made faces at him.
Jiang Liusui replied in a gentle voice, “Sorry, it’s not really convenient.”
The girl was bold, and after being turned down, she didn’t hesitate to ask, “Can I ask why? Do you have a girlfriend, or am I just not your type?”
As she spoke, her gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept over Shen Sijia. She had been observing them for a while and concluded that Shen Sijia probably wasn’t his girlfriend.
Jiang Liusui felt a bit awkward and reached out to put his arm around Zhou Xun’s shoulder, giving the girl an apologetic smile. “Well, he doesn’t really like me giving out my contact info to others.”
Zhou Xun: “…?”
The girl was taken aback for a moment before quickly catching on: Oh… okay, got it. I understand now.”
She turned to Zhou Xun with an apologetic expression: “Sorry, handsome, at first I didn’t realize you two were a couple.”
Zhou Xun: “……” What the hell.
Jiang Liusui held back a laugh and helped the slightly embarrassed girl save face: “It’s fine. I’m really flattered that such a beautiful girl wants my contact info.”
Her cheeks flushed as she smiled back at him. Zhou Xun watched her reluctantly walk away, feeling a pang of frustration: “You really dare to say that? Aren’t you afraid she’ll recognize you and expose this online?”
Jiang Liusui didn’t seem too concerned: “I didn’t say anything—she came to that conclusion on her own. Besides, most people won’t post things online without evidence, and even if they did, nobody would believe it.”
Zhou Xun thought about it and realized he was actually right.
“Don’t worry,” Shen Sijia said to Zhou Xun. “Even though you’re decent-looking, you and Suisui don’t look like a couple at all. Don’t aim too high.”
“Me? Decent-looking?” Zhou Xun said expressionlessly. “If I may ask, in your eyes, how many men in the world besides He Yujing aren’t just ’decent-looking’?”
The moment Shen Sijia heard the name of her idol, she suddenly remembered something that had been on her mind for days. She had no time to argue with Zhou Xun. “By the way, Suisui, have you heard about the rumors between He Yujing and Su Wan lately?”
Her expression grew tense: “Are they really in that kind of relationship?”
The reason Shen Sijia attended the same school as Jiang Liusui was largely due to her being an avid fan. Miss Shen[mfn]大小姐 (dà xiǎojiě) – lit. young lady / young miss; used here as playful nickname[/mfn] worked her hardest during her senior year of high school to get into He Yujing’s alma mater. Although their majors were different, for Shen Sijia, it still felt like following in her idol’s footsteps.
He Yujing had achieved fame at a young age. Relying on his astonishing talent for songwriting, he produced hit after hit and has become the pillar of Shengyun Entertainment, an existence countless people admired but could never reach.
In addition to his massive fan base, his recognition within the industry was also exceptionally high. At every annual music awards ceremony, as long as He Yujing releases a song, he wins award after award.
Jiang Liusui recalled, “He Yujing and Su Wan released a new song together, right? I overheard the staff chatting about it. They seem to have a good relationship, but I don’t know if the rumors are true.”
Since his debut, the media has been speculating about He Yujing’s personal life. Even the smallest events get blown out of proportion, and all kinds of true or false rumors[mfn]捕风捉影 (bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng) – lit. catch the wind and seize the shadow; to spread or act on rumors / base conclusions on uncertain evidence / speculate without proof”[/mfn] have never stopped.
“Nooo! Even if Su Wan is gorgeous and has an amazing voice, Gege, don’t you dare date her aaaaah!” Shen Sijia, having read a lot of messy gossip recently, was already worked up, and her imagination sent her into a flurry of nonsense. “Waaaah, my gege! Does Su Wan have such good luck? What did she do in her past life to be with my gege?!”
Zhou Xun chuckled, “How old are you, still treating He Yujing as your boyfriend? He’s already 25—sooner or later he’ll date and get married.”
“You don’t get it![mfn]你懂个屁 (nǐ dǒng gè pì) – lit. you understand a fart or you know shit; indicates frustration or dismissal in a casual, sometimes humorous tone.[/mfn] He’s my youth, my faith, my one true love in this lifetime,” Shen Sijia, lost in her wild imagination, looked increasingly pained. Finally, she grabbed Jiang Liusui’s hand and said, “Suisui, why don’t you get together with my gege? I’ve thought it through—if his relationship ever gets exposed, you’re the only one I could accept.”
Jiang Liusui was amused by her antics. “That’s not a good idea.”
He propped his chin on his hand, smiling playfully. “Such an absurd relationship? Neither your brother nor I could ever accept it.”
***
“Brother Yu, do we still have to continue recording songs tomorrow?”
On the second floor of the club, pink and red laser lights flickered across the room. The man, surrounded by the crowd in the center, responded with a nod.
“I’ve partied enough today. Tomorrow I still have to go back to work.” He Yujing downed the last of his drink and casually set the empty bottle aside. “Been busy for almost half a year. I’m exhausted.”
The entire second floor had been booked in advance. Thanks to clever lighting, one could see the entire first-floor hall from above, but from the first floor, the second floor was not visible.
Someone laughed: “I heard that the day news came out that you were releasing an album, Shengyun’s stock price jumped quite a lot.”
“Seriously, it went insane! Boss Song personally came to Brother Yu, telling him he could do whatever he wanted this time. No matter how much the MV production costs, they’ll invest as much as he needs. If he takes a liking to any artist at Shengyun, just say the word, and they’ll immediately get all the support for filming.”
The CEO of Shengyun Entertainment is surnamed Song and has business dealings with the He family. When He Yujing first debuted, unscrupulous media outlets accused him of buying other people’s work and snatching resources from other artists under the company. They claimed he only succeeded due to his family’s connections. These rumors were later debunked[mfn]被狠狠打脸 (bèi hěn hěn dǎ liǎn) – lit. be hit hard in the face; meaning “proved completely wrong” or “exposed and humiliated.”[/mfn], and the media outlets nearly faced bankruptcy from defamation lawsuits.
“He’s so strict the moment he steps into the studio—I don’t even dare speak a word,” She had collaborated with He Yujing on a new song this time and couldn’t help complaining to the two mutual friends present. “TLuckily we finished recording today. I never want to see his scowling face again in my life. You have no idea how scary he is.”
He Yujing chuckled softly. “So I’m that detestable, huh?”
His face was completely bare, without a trace of makeup, yet even under the riot of colorful neon lights, he stood out with exceptional handsomeness. In a crowd, he was the only one you’d notice at first glance.
He Yujing’s eyes tilted ever so slightly upward, the crease of his eyelids narrow, yet the gentle under-eye curve[mfn]卧蚕 (wò cán) – lit. lying silkworm; referring to the small puff of flesh under the eyes. Considered attractive and adds charm or “softness” to the eyes; popularly known as “aegyo-sal” in k-beauty.[/mfn] stood out clearly. Such a pair of eyes softened the coldness brought by his sharp features. When he smiled, it bridged distances—there was an indescribable mischievousness in his charm, making him very attractive to the opposite sex.
Even though she knew he was joking, Su Wan’s cheeks warmed: “What are you saying? I was just hoping to bask a little in your spotlight[mfn]沾沾光 (zhān zhān guāng) – lit. to bask in someone else’s light; o benefit from someone else’s success or resources / ride on someone else’s coattails[/mfn]—maybe snag a collaboration award by year’s end.”
She paused, then asked softly, “By the way, how’s the preparation for your MV going? Have you chosen someone yet?”
“Which one? I’ve got several.”
“The lead single, of course.”
“I’ve read the script for that one too,” a friend chimed in. “It’s quite interesting, but casting must be tough. Essentially, it’s about Brother Yu falling in love with that character at first sight. Most actors couldn’t possibly capture the exact vibe he wants.”
Su Wan suddenly added, “ I’ve actually seen an exceptionally good-looking kid before. There was a drama adapted from a novel where he played either the villainous second or third male lead…”
“A guy?” He Yujing was taken aback. “A guy works too. What’s his name?”
“Let me think of the name…” Su Wan pondered for a long while. The name was on the tip of her tongue but she just couldn’t say it, so she gave up. “My younger sister was obsessed with that drama every day. I’ll ask her later. I think he’s a Shengyun artist.”
“Alright.” He Yujing nodded casually. From his demeanor, it was obvious to everyone that he hadn’t really taken her words seriously. Someone teased him, “A’Jing, are you trying to get a celestial beauty[mfn]天仙 (tiān xiān) – lit. celestial fairy or heavenly immortal; means extremely beautiful person, especially a woman; can be likened to a goddess[/mfn] to shoot your MV?”
The DJ switched tracks, shifting from slow beats to an explosive dance tune. People around swayed their heads to the powerful electronic rhythm, and the atmosphere instantly heated up.
Amid the chaotic dancing, He Yujing cupped a cigarette in his hand and flicked a lighter.
“Of course,” he lit the cigarette and drawled lazily in agreement, “Just don’t know where the celestial beauty who could make me fall in love at first sight is.”
— — — —
