LR – Chapter 7

***
Chapter 7 – Late-Night Snack

When Shen Jie received He Yujing’s call, she nearly lost control of her emotions.

She had thought that with all the repeated warnings[mfn]千叮万嘱 (qiān dīng wàn zhǔ) – lit. a thousand reminders, ten thousand exhortations[/mfn], there wouldn’t be any issues. Who would have thought that He Yujing would turn around and make a big move—replacing the director, and only afterward did he inform her that she needed to find a new one.

“What on earth are you meddling in now?” Shen Jie groaned, her temples throbbing. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t interfere? We don’t even know what’s really going on. Where am I supposed to find a suitable director at such short notice?”

He Yujing glanced at Jiang Liusui, who had tactfully stepped away during the call and was idly scrolling through his phone.

“Wu Qi is shady. Keeping him around would only cause trouble sooner or later[mfn]早晚惹事 (zǎo wǎn rě shì)[/mfn].”

Hearing this, Shen Jie realized He Yujing had already confirmed the conflict between Wu Qi and Jiang Liusui, which eased her frustration slightly. “But what if he goes to the media and says you used your power to bully him?”

“He won’t,” He Yujing said confidently. “He’s more guilty than anyone else—he can’t wait to part on good terms[mfn]好聚好散 (hǎo jù hǎo sàn) – lit. gather well, part well[/mfn].”

Shen Jie wanted to criticize him for acting impulsively, but it seemed he had thought things through, so she held out a sliver of hope. “Since you’re cutting ties[mfn]撕破脸 (sī pò liǎn) – lit. tear the face[/mfn] with him so abruptly, have you already found a director that will replace him?”

He Yujing paused suspiciously for a second, but he held himself well and said lightly, “We’ll find someone eventually.”

Shen Jie nearly choked on her breath.

Jiang Liusui hadn’t been eavesdropping, but even from a few scattered words he could tell the person on the other end was He Yujing’s agent. Knowing that the matter probably wasn’t so easy to resolve, he couldn’t help feeling guilty.

He Yujing endured Shen Jie’s scolding, clearly well-practiced at letting it go in one ear and out the other[mfn]左耳进右耳出 (zuǒ ěr jìn yòu ěr chū) – lit. enter the left ear, exit the right ear[/mfn]. Seizing a pause in the conversation, he called out to Jiang Liusui.

“Go back and rest for a couple of days. Someone will notify you when filming starts again.”

Not long after Jiang Liusui left the set, Jiang Chuan returned his call.

“I was busy earlier and missed your call… What did you say?! He came straight to you?!”

At first, upon hearing that Wu Qi had approached Jiang Liusui, Jiang Chuan was quite nervous. Only after making sure Jiang Liusui hadn’t been hurt and that Wu Qi wouldn’t come back to cause trouble did his emotions finally come down from the roller coaster ride—his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled: “I really didn’t expect He Yujing to help you this much.”

“Even if it wasn’t a big deal for him, we still owe him a genuine favor. We need to find a way to properly thank him.” Jiang Chuan said, clearly troubled. “The problem is, there’s almost no chance we could ever help him in return. How about treating him to a meal? But just one meal seems too casual—not sincere enough… Then maybe we should give him a gift?” Jiang Chuan immediately dismissed his own idea. “No, that won’t do either. Forget about what kind of gift would even be appropriate—doing that would make it look like we have ulterior motives.”

Jiang Liusui couldn’t make up his mind either. Even though He Yujing appeared indifferent and had brushed it off with a few jokes, Jiang Liusui still felt it wouldn’t be right to repay him so lightly.

He had assumed that replacing the director at the last minute would delay filming for at least a week. To his surprise, just three days later he received a notification to return to the set the following afternoon. What surprised him even more was that the new director was Huang Zhicheng.

Unlike Wu Qi, who would film anything and everything, Huang Zhicheng focused his career on big-screen projects and had never directed an MV before. Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but wonder just how high a price Shengyun had offered to bring in a director of his caliber to come in as an emergency fix.

“You didn’t know? Director Huang is a huge fan of He Yujing—he even posts about his songs on Weibo now and then.” Hearing that he was about to enter another filming set the next day, Shen Sijia immediately arranged to meet Jiang Liusui at the snack street near National University of Arts. When he mentioned the crew, she felt like her worlds were colliding[mfn]次元壁破裂 (cì yuán bì pò liè) – lit. dimensional wall breaks; describes moments when fictional characters, worlds, or events feel as if they enter the real world, or when reality feels like fiction.[/mfn] and started rambling incoherently.

It’s so unbelievable—you actually got to work with gege, and something as big as replacing the director even happened… Director Huang is incredible at filming people! He’ll definitely make you look incredibly good!”

“By the way, Suisui,” Shen Sijia’s expression turned worried, “What exactly happened with Wu Qi? Can you tell me in detail?”

After that message was sent, Zhou Xun asked what had happened several times. As soon as Jiang Liusui had time, he briefly explained to Zhou Xun and Shen Sijia what had happened on those two days. When they heard he not only starred in He Yujing’s MV but also had a conflict with Wu Qi, the three-person group chat was flooded with exclamation marks.

Even though Shen Sijia had already heard the gist of it, listening to Jiang Liusui describe everything himself still made her furious. She launched straight into another round of furious insults, not pausing for breath as she tore Wu Qi apart.

Miss Shen had an impressive repertoire when it came to cursing people. Jiang Liusui was listening with great interest when Shen Sijia suddenly changed the subject and said, “But gege was really protective of you! He actually made Wu Qi apologize to you—oh my god, just thinking about it feels so satisfying. Wu Qi’s sour face must’ve been such a pleasure to see, right?”

The more she thought about it, the more hyped she became, slipping fully into fangirl mode. “I really didn’t choose the wrong person to support—he’s amazing! Just imagining it, I can already picture the scene. When he’s forceful, he’s really got so much presence!”

“Mm.” Jiang Liusui actually agreed with her rambling for the first time. “Brother Yu is really nice.”

Shen Sijia’s eyes lit up, showering him with endless praises[mfn]彩虹屁 (cǎi hóng pì) – lit. rainbow fart; internet slang for excessive flattery or over-the-top praise, often humorous or ironic.[/mfn] before eagerly asking: “So, does this MV have choreography? Did you get to see it during filming? He’s super handsome when he dances! Whatever he does, it’s just effortlessly cool and stylish.”

“I’m only involved in the storyline parts, so I’m not sure about any choreography.” Jiang Liusui thought carefully. “I didn’t see him dance on set.”

Shen Sijia had a whole bunch of other questions she wanted to ask, when Jiang Liusui suddenly said, “By the way, do you know what he likes to eat?”

If the chance presented itself, it would be best to take He Yujing out for a proper meal.

Jiang Liusui knew nothing about He Yujing’s preferences, but thankfully, veteran fan Shen Sijia could recite every detail about him from memory.

Shen Sijia thought carefully: “I don’t think he’s ever mentioned a particular favorite food, but he’s from the North, so he probably likes stronger flavors[mfn]偏重 (piān zhòng) – lit. leans heavy; referring here to food flavor, meaning rich or strong taste.[/mfn]… Oh! Wait, I remember! He also studied at National University of Arts before. He once said the zhajiangmian[mfn]炸酱面 (zhá jiàng miàn) – noodles with fried bean sauce[/mfn] at the end of this street is really good. That shop became super popular because of him—lots of people going there to check it out.”

“Right over there, see? Their business is booming.” Shen Sijia said, pointing at a nearby noodle shop with simple and cozy decor. “It’s already past eleven, and people are still lining up.”

Jiang Liusui nodded, casually refreshing his phone. To his surprise, the first post that popped up in his Moments[mfn]朋友圈 (péng yǒu quān) – lit. friend circle or Moments; refers to the social media feature on WeChat where users post updates, similar to a Facebook timeline.[/mfn] was from the very person they were discussing.

On the first day of filming, the production assistant had created a group chat. Jiang Liusui, still preoccupied with the Wu Qi situation, added He Yujing as a friend through the group. He Yujing had posted a photo that appeared to be taken in his studio, showing an empty cigarette box and a corner of a computer screen.

After reading his caption, Jiang Liusui’s gaze lingered.

***

Night had fallen, and the usually bustling Shengyun Tower now lay mostly dark, except for the sixth floor, which shone as brightly as daytime. Occasionally, light and rhythmic music could be faintly heard, pausing and then repeating, as if being continuously adjusted.

He Yujing rubbed his temples, feeling somewhat tired.

His upcoming album was missing only one final track, but a few sections of the arrangement remained unresolved. Originally, he had planned to revise them after filming the MV for the pre-release track, but the shoot had been abruptly halted. Now, he wanted to use these few quiet days to perfect the arrangement.

Unfortunately, things weren’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped. Smoke lingered in the recording studio as He Yujing repeatedly listened to the same melody. Habitually, he reached for the cigarette pack… only to find it empty.

He was out of cigarettes.

He Yujing felt a bit irritated, ran his fingers through his hair, and stood up. Only then did he realize he had forgotten to have dinner.

Whether it was genuine hunger or something else, he couldn’t say. He casually took a photo of the empty cigarette pack next to the computer and posted it on Moments.

『Feeling a little hungry』

His phone, set to vibrate, buzzed repeatedly with notifications. Chi Lianxi was the first to comment: 【Come out for a drink.】

He Yujing, a cigarette between his lips, typed a one-handed reply: 【Working】

Chi Lianxi:【Workaholic[mfn]劳模 (láo mó) – lit. model worker[/mfn], eagerly waiting for Boss He’s new track to shake up the entertainment industry (thumbs up) (thumbs up).】

Su Wan sent him a private message: Are you still at the Shengyun studio? I just finished recording. Want me to bring you something to eat?

He Yujing didn’t respond to her, quietly exiting the chat with Su Wan. One after another, messages poured in, all with similar offers—asking if he needed help ordering delivery or if they could personally bring him a late-night snack. He Yujing swiped them away without even reading them.

Bored, he barely glanced up—then a new message popped onto the screen.

It was from Jiang Liusui.

Jiang Liusui: Yu-ge, are you at the company?

Yujing’s finger hovered over the message popup. A second later, he tapped it and sent a simple: Mm.

A reply immediately popped up: I’m at the snack street near the National University of Arts. Do you want the zhajiang noodles at the end of the street?

Seeing the words “National University of Arts,” He Yujing suddenly remembered that Jiang Liusui was still a student. Although they were in different departments, Jiang Liusui could be considered his junior. Back when selecting people for the project, He Yujing checked his information—because he started school early, Jiang Liusui was already nearly 21 and about to graduate. His appearance also made him look younger.

He hadn’t been particularly hungry earlier. If he really wanted food, he could have just called Lin Chong to bring him a late-night snack. But now that Jiang Liusui mentioned it, he felt a sudden nostalgia for the flavors he’d enjoyed during his student days.

He asked: Are you going to bring it to me?

Jiang Liusui: Mm.

He teased deliberately: So thoughtful of you.

Jiang Liusui didn’t reply with words but sent a sticker[mfn]表情包 (biǎo qíng bāo) – lit. expression package; set of images, GIFs, or stickers used in chats to express emotions, reactions, or jokes[/mfn] instead.

It was a little fox tilting its head, eyes wide and innocent. There was no caption, yet it instantly reminded him of the sender.

He Yujing chuckled quietly and decided to push his luck[mfn]得寸进尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ) – lit. gain an inch, advance a foot; to take advantage of every opportunity[/mfn]: Then bring me a pack of cigarettes too, thanks.

***

Shen Sijia never dreamed that Jiang Liusui would deliver a late-night snack to He Yujing. Even though she had jokingly said earlier that she hoped the two of them would be together, she never actually expected the two of them to cross paths.

The Arctic Circle Rumor-Style CP[mfn]北极圈造谣式 CP (běi jí quān zào yáo shì CP) – slang for something extremely niche, obscure, or with very few fans couple pairing (CP)[/mfn] was subtly showing signs of life. Shen Sijia almost went crazy: “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! In just half a month, your relationship with him has gotten this close? How is this even possible?!”

Jiang Liusui didn’t take it to heart. “Didn’t I just say? Brother Yu is a good guy.”

“Bullshit,” Shen Sijia said, getting excited and accidentally revealing the idol’s true nature, “He’s not the approachable type at all—he’s so arrogant.”

“……”

“No, I mean… he usually doesn’t go out of his way to get close to people.” Shen Sijia gave a sincere thumbs-up, but then, taking in consideration Jiang Liusui’s usual charm, she felt it wasn’t all that surprising. “As expected of you, Suisui. Even gege couldn’t resist you.”

From Shen Sijia’s perspective, Jiang Liusui had always been effortlessly likable.

He never deliberately tried to please anyone, yet his popularity was inexplicably high. His personality and looks were already striking, but the most captivating thing was that Jiang Liusui occasionally acted coquettishly naturally. Girls were obviously charmed, and even Zhou Xun, that straight-as-a-ruler guy[mfn]死直男 (sǐ zhí nán) – lit. dead straight man; a hopelessly straight guy; a man who is clueless about romance or attraction.[/mfn], fell for it too.

The two of them waited outside the noodle shop for their takeout when a few girls came in. One of them spotted Jiang Liusui, tugged at her friend, and whispered excitedly.

After appearing on the hot search[mfn]热搜 (rè sōu) – lit. refers to trending searches on the internet or social media[/mfn] a few days ago, Jiang Liusui’s popularity had skyrocketed. He usually didn’t pay much attention when going out, but lately he had begun making a conscious effort to keep a low profile.

He was wearing a black bucket hat, its wide brim covering most of his face. Even so, his appearance was still eye-catching. Jiang Liusui’s lips were naturally rosy, his chin delicate and pointed, and his entire figure was tall and slender. Even the delicate curve of his wrist bones looked like a work of art.

The girls whispered and nudged each other, all stealing glances at him. Finally, one couldn’t resist and stepped forward. “Hello, are you Jiang Liusui?”

He was noticeably taller than the girls. As he looked down at her, their eyes met, and he was the first to smile.

The girl’s face instantly flushed bright red, and she stammered, “I-I-I… You… you’re really good-looking!”

Her friend was bolder and more outspoken. Seeing Jiang Liusui’s gentle demeanor, she mustered the courage to enthusiastically confess, “Baobei, I’ve watched all your dramas! I really like you!”

Jiang Liusui was taken aback, not expecting to be called that by a girl in real life. After a moment, he felt a bit embarrassed and curled his fingers, lightly touching his own cheek.

Then, as if finding the situation amusing, he laughed and said, “Mm… thank you.”

The girls were practically dying over how cute his reaction was, chattering around him and praising him. “You’re even better–looking in person than in photos and videos! So there really are people born with a natural filter[mfn]自带滤镜 (zì dài lǜ jìng) – used online to describe someone who naturally looks attractive, charming, or impressive, as if a photo filter automatically makes them look better[/mfn].”

“Really, your skin is so pale and flawless! You just stand out in a crowd!”

Shen Sijia, whether afraid of being mistaken for having a relationship with him or simply wanting to join the fun, chimed in with them, exclaiming, “Wow, Jiang Liusui!”

Jiang Liusui: “……”

Jiang Liusui thought to himself, Your acting is just exaggerated enough to be perfect.

Just then, the shop attendant brought over his packaged zhajiangmian. One girl, curious, asked, “Are these for someone else?”

Jiang Liusui didn’t think much of it and hummed in agreement. But as all eyes turned toward him, he realized he probably shouldn’t have been so straightforward.

The girls clamored with questions: “It’s already so late… who’s it for?”, “You even specially packed late-night snacks—it must be for a really good friend!”, “It’s not for a girlfriend, is it?”

Shen Sijia, fully aware of the situation, couldn’t resist chiming in, her eyes glinting mischievously: “Yeah, so late… who are you bringing food to?”

Jiang Liusui shot her a sly half-smile. Shen Sijia felt a twinge of guilt, wondering if she might have gone too far teasing him.

“To a newly acquainted ‘gege’,” he said to them.

“……” Shen Sijia was caught completely off guard when fed a mouthful of sugar[mfn]大糖 (dà táng) – lit. big sugar; fandom slang for a major sweet or heartwarming moment, often in romantic or cute contexts[/mfn] by the man himself, nearly swooning from it.

Watching the group of clueless but utterly charmed girls, Shen Sijia clutched her chest, nearly choking up as she thought:

Jiang Liusui, you’re something else.

Even knowing you didn’t mean it that way—damn, you really know how to play the game.

— — — —