Pei Lang’s dry laugh turned into a bitter laugh in Su Jia’s ears. After letting go of Pei Lang, he patted his shoulder in encouragement. “Come on. Seeing you so upset, I’ll reluctantly use my salary to treat you to a meal. But we need to hurry, the boss has stuff waiting for me to handle.”
Pei Lang, holding the folding fan, gently tapped Su Jia’s head. “Who told you I’m upset?”
“You were rejected by Director Jin, and you can still be happy?”
“Who told you I was rejected by Director Jīn?” Pei Lang’s calm face finally showed a smile. Su Jia froze. He widened his eyes and leaned in to take a closer look, examining from left to right, but he couldn’t tell if Pei Lang was joking. Seeing that Su Jia finally seemed to believe him, Pei Lang no longer beat around the bush. “Director Jin has already confirmed that I’ll play this role.”
“What!?” Su Jia was shocked. “Is that for real? Director Jin really confirmed the role?”
“Mm-hmm~” Pei Lang actually seemed a little proud now. He stepped out of the lounge first, preparing to leave, with Su Jia following closely behind, chattering non-stop.
“Seriously, you really got the role? Pei Lang, how did you manage to convince Director Jin?”
“You must have used some magic, right? It’s Director Jin after all. So many people in the entertainment industry have tried for this role. Does that mean you defeated most of the industry’s actors and were chosen by Director Jin?”
Su Jia was like the number one fan, excitedly praising.
“Well, it’s not exactly like that. Maybe I just happened to fit the role. It’s not really about defeating anyone.” Everyone has their own path in acting. The reason Pei Lang was chosen was because of his martial arts background and his acting skills.
And that acting skill was honed over many years.
Su Jia, now feeling a bit carried away, ignored Pei Lang’s humble words and called Yan Han to share the good news. But it seemed like Yan Han didn’t show any surprise or joy.
Could he be happy? He had deliberately put Pei Lang in a tough spot, hoping he would give up and obediently remain his little pet fox. Who would have thought that this little fox was even smarter than he had imagined.
Being chosen meant that the little fox would be going out to shoot scenes, which not only meant exposure but also the fact that they wouldn’t be able to meet. Who would give him massages to help him sleep in the future? But, the words had already been said and they couldn’t be taken back. Yan Han was feeling down.
Before Pei Lang could meet up with Su Jia, Director Jin’s call came through to Yan Han, filled with praise and thanks for recommending such a good talent. So, when Su Jia made the congratulatory call, Yan Han wasn’t surprised.
After dropping Pei Lang off at the villa, Su Jia went back to the company.
After filming starts, there might not be as much time for songwriting, so Pei Lang posted an update on the platform, saying that he wasn’t feeling well and that his future updates would be slower, but he would still keep posting.
A large number of comments followed, from boys, girls, uncles, and aunts, all expressing concern: advising him to rest properly since he was getting older, to remember regular checkups, to maintain a balanced diet, and so on.
Facing these warm people, Pei Lang suddenly felt like he had deceived them. He felt a bit guilty, but there was no turning back now. The situation had started and he couldn’t undo it. Rather than dwelling on it, it seemed better to release a few more songs to make them happy.
The whole afternoon, Pei Lang stayed in his room composing music until the evening when Yan Han returned, and they had dinner together.
Pei Lang was in a good mood, but he could clearly feel that Yan Han was upset. The little chibi on his shoulder seemed reluctant. Pei Lang had a strange illusion…
Could it be that he doesn’t want to part with me?
Quickly, Pei Lang dismissed the thought.
They said they were friends, but they weren’t really. As for a couple… that was even further from the truth. At best, it was a cooperative relationship. How could there be any reluctance? Pei Lang felt that there would never be much emotional connection between him and Yan Han. In the original story, they never had mutual feelings, and now, with him traveling into this body, it was even more impossible.
After all, in his own understanding, he was a straight man.
Tonight, Yan Han ate little, as usual, silent throughout the meal. After finishing, he went upstairs without saying a word, leaving behind a sentence: “Come find me in the study after you’re done.”
Pei Lang wasn’t full, but since Yan Han said so, he couldn’t make him wait. After eating a little more, he went upstairs on foot. The study door was open. After knocking, Pei Lang walked in directly. “Mr. Yan.”
“Congratulations,” Yan Han said, lowering his head to organize the documents, his cold aura radiating from him without lifting his eyes.
“Thank you, Mr. Yan, for helping me.”
Yan Han regretted it, though.
“I’ve arranged a manager and assistant for you. They will help you negotiate your pay, and you can review the contract when it’s ready. If everything’s fine, just sign it.” Though he regretted it, since Pei Lang wanted to act, Yan Han couldn’t bear to see him alone and helpless in the entertainment industry, so he arranged some help for him.
Pei Lang used to have poor relationships, so he would definitely encounter problems on his own.
“Okay,” Pei Lang nodded obediently but then looked at Yan Han in confusion.
Mr. Yan is helping me voluntarily?
“It’s only temporary, you’ll need to pay them back. You’ll pay their salaries yourself, deducting from your pay,” Yan Han explained with a cold expression, trying to cover up his true intentions.
Hmm, still the same Mr. Yan who loves business. “Of course, Mr. Yan. You’ve already helped me enough. Once I join the cast, I’ll make sure to act well and not disappoint you or Director Jin. I’ll work hard to bring you honor.”
“This production has been in preparation for a while. The main leads are already filming, but the second male role was still undecided, so they’ve been searching for it. There won’t be much time left for you. After signing the contract, you’ll probably start filming soon. If you need anything, you can reach out to your assistant or manager.”
“And if they can’t solve it, can I contact Mr. Yan?” Pei Lang felt a bit shameless in asking for more help, knowing Yan Han had already done so much for him. But seeing Yan Han with his usual stern expression, not as lively as before, Pei Lang just wanted to tease him a little to make him loosen up.
Sure enough, after hearing this, the little chibi on Yan Han’s shoulder bounced up and rushed toward the little fox, hugging and patting him.
Yan Han glanced at Pei Lang lazily. “I’m very busy, but you can try.”
That was as good as a yes. Pei Lang’s eyes curved upward as he smiled, choosing not to speak. Yan Han then handed him the information on the male and female leads, advising Pei Lang to study them and learn more about the people in the entertainment industry—it would only do him good.
The next day, the so-called manager and assistant called. After getting to know each other, Pei Lang set up a group chat. The three of them hit it off, chatting enthusiastically without any airs. They were around the same age, so they had plenty of common topics to discuss and got along well.
Later, the manager finalized the contract and arranged for Pei Lang to meet in person to review the contract before signing. Thanks to Yan Han’s connections, the terms were all in order. The pay offered was considered high for someone like Pei Lang at this stage. There was nothing that needed to be changed, so he signed the contract.
The makeup, hairstyle, and costume for the second male role had already been designed, with only the actor still to be decided. Once the actor was confirmed, the designs would be slightly adjusted based on the actor’s appearance, which wouldn’t take much time. Regarding the costume, because the second male actor’s height and weight were still unknown, Pei Lang was the only one left without a costume made. Since the production team was highly skilled, they would make his costume while filming. It would be ready in time.
The crew said Pei Lang could join the set in half a month, and they gave him a complete script to review beforehand. During this period, he was also scheduled for a set of promotional stills. The character’s name was Wen Yan—initially a refined and elegant physician from the martial world, later turning into a dark, insane cult leader. The promotional stills consisted of one dark version and one as the physician.
Once the official blog posted these images, it sparked a lot of discussions.
Most of the comments praised the casting choice. Fans of the original work were satisfied, as were casual fans. The two photos were full of dramatic expressions; the dark version of the character had no extravagant clothes or over-the-top smoky makeup but simply conveyed the character’s personality through the eyes and expression.
With the actor’s stunning looks and great performance, the compliments poured in. The face looked unfamiliar yet oddly familiar. Many people assumed he was a newcomer. However, when they saw the actor’s name tagged on the official post, a wave of confusion and shock followed. The same netizens who had just praised him quickly turned to criticize him.
[—Pei Lang!? Is that the same Pei Lang I know?]
[—Not gonna lie, he really does look like that Pei Lang, just more handsome than before. Is the crew blind? They cast him as my poor, lovable husband Wen Yan!?]
[—He must’ve hooked up with some rich guy and bought his way into the cast! Ugh~~ My Wen Yan is ruined.]
[—I trust the director’s judgment. You can question Pei Lang’s acting skills, but you can’t question the director’s casting standards. That’s Director Jin. Who could possibly sneak someone into his crew?]
[—Pei Lang has been quiet for a while. Have you all forgotten about the internet’s scandal with him? Don’t you remember how he seduced his younger brother’s boyfriend? The disgusting things he did, just thinking about it makes me want to puke.]
[—Please, crew, change the actor, save our eyes. If I turn on the TV and see him, I’d rather be born blind. If I’ve committed a crime, please punish me by law, but don’t let him ruin my favorite character.]
[—Damn it! I thought this guy was banned, and now look—he’s out here ruining the original story and the character! F*ck! Is there a lawyer here? Any law that protects the rights of novel characters? If there is, I’ll sue him until he’s bankrupt! Characters have rights too, they have dignity!!]
[—Poor my brother, tricked into becoming the male lead. A good drama is going to be ruined by this Pei Lang. My brother’s so unlucky.]
[—To the one above, the female lead is my goddess. Just thinking about this trash of a man acting with my goddess makes me want to gouge out his eyes!]
Pei Lang scrolled through these comments, his heart like still water, not a single ripple. He had already anticipated this situation and, frankly, he believed this was just the beginning.
Of course, among the numerous negative comments, there were a few “disoriented” ones.
[—Did you all not notice that Pei Lang’s portrayal of the character is quite good? His eye acting is really impressive. (Please don’t bash me…)]
[—Right? I think it fits the original novel pretty well. Weren’t you guys praising him earlier? Anyway, I’m looking forward to it. You guys are jumping to conclusions just from the promotional stills, but who knows, maybe he can really act. Otherwise, why would Director Jin take so long to cast him?]
[—I don’t trust Pei Lang, but I trust Director Jin. Everyone knows how great Director Jin is at interpreting works. Even if Pei Lang is a useless actor, he can still pull it off under Director Jin’s guidance. Besides, the male and female leads aren’t exactly known for their acting skills. With so many people around, they can’t carry a dead weight? Pei Lang, do your best! If you do well, I’ll be your fan for life, no matter how rusty you are. To me, you can shine like gold!!*]
“Ha—” When Pei Lang saw this comment, he couldn’t help but snicker, nearly spitting out his milk tea. It was just too adorable, this netizen.
“What’s wrong, Brother Lang?” In a milk tea shop, Pei Lang was sitting across from Lu Lu, each with a cup of milk tea and a few pieces of pastries in the middle of the table.
Lu Lu was Pei Lang’s assistant. To work smoothly in the future, they had agreed to go shopping together to get to know each other better and increase their rapport.
“It’s nothing. I just saw an interesting comment. By the way, do you have any good food recommendations? Tell me more,” Pei Lang took a sip of his milk tea, blinking his eyes as he stared at Lu Lu.
Milk tea, hmm~ Pei Lang had only started drinking it when he was in middle school. Back then, his father was strict, so he hadn’t had it much growing up. Today, Lu Lu had bought him a cup. It tasted really good. He liked it.
Thanks for the chapter!
<3