Crossover Actors - Chapter 52

 

Lu Wen woke up frozen in the thin morning light, fumbling for the air conditioner remote. Groggily remembering that he was in Lanshui Ancient Town, he opened his eyes and couldn’t even muster the energy to be annoyed.

 

He gave up on being vain, put on a cozy, warm sweatshirt, sports pants, and woolen socks for his size 46 feet, and then, with his disheveled hair, went to the corner of the wall.

 

Lu Wen slapped away the camera cover, giving a close-up shot of his bare face and disheveled appearance, his voice hoarse and exuding an unaware sexiness.

 

“Morning, the room is so cold,” Lu Wen scratched his brow, feeling embarrassed about contradicting himself from yesterday. “So I won’t drink iced water today; I’ll have hot water instead.”

 

He carried a thermos cup downstairs, where the courtyard was arranged with fixed cameras in every corner, capturing every movement. The crew stayed at the nearest hotel to the ancient town and wouldn’t arrive until eight o’clock.

 

Lu Wen twisted the lid off and took a sip of hot water.

 

Cao Lanxu, dressed in an ancient Tang suit, appeared at the second-floor railing and, without warning, sang out in a drawn-out tone: “—Big Gray.”

 

Lu Wen choked, his neck turning red, and looked up. “Master Cao, could you not call me Big Gray?”

 

Cao Lanxu said, “A derogatory name is easier to keep.”

 

Lu Wen replied, “I’m almost thirty; I’ve passed the risk of dying young.”

 

Cao Lanxu came down the wooden stairs, which creaked under his steps, and walked to the center of the courtyard, rolling up his loose sleeves. His hands, showing prominent veins and large knuckles, held a hidden strength that a craftsman’s skills possessed.

 

Lu Wen flattered, “Master Cao, you look like Yip Man practicing Wing Chun.”

 

Cao Lanxu made a grabbing motion with his hand, the sound of his silver bracelet clinking crisply. “Then I’ll teach you a set of punches.”

 

Lu Wen was stunned, unable to react in time, as Cao Lanxu grabbed his wrist. In front of the nearby cameras and the distant sunrise, an elderly man and a young man performed a set of punches and kicks in the courtyard.

 

After finishing in a daze, Lu Wen rested his hands on his waist, panting, and said, “I should have slept longer…”

 

Cao Lanxu said, “Come again tomorrow morning.”

 

“Ah?” Lu Wen tried to negotiate, “I’m quite sturdy; can’t you practice with Little Gray instead?”

 

Cao Lanxu casually waved his sleeve and snorted through his nose, lifting his eyes as he went inside. Lu Wen wondered whether he was capable or not.

 

He wiped the sweat from his temples and felt his body warming up. At this moment, the front door creaked open, and Jin Yanyu walked in wearing a hat, followed by his assistant.

 

Lu Wen was surprised, “How did you come in from outside?”

 

Jin Yanyu took off his hat, his unstyled hair messy. “I’m staying at the hotel.”

 

Is that possible? Lu Wen asked, “Then how is the camera in your room filming?”

 

“Just lie down during the day,” Jin Yanyu sneered. “Brother, is this your first time on a reality show? There’s a technique called editing, have you heard of it?”

 

Lu Wen cracked his knuckles, which made a cracking sound. “There’s a type of martial art called Wing Chun, have you heard of it?”

 

Jin Yanyu shook his head. “Oh, I’ve only heard of ‘called spring.’”

 

“……” Lu Wen was dumbfounded. Is this the current trend of small-time celebrities? With a camera right above him, he pointed upward and said, “Aren’t you worried about getting an unedited version aired?”

 

Jin Yanyu revealed his front teeth and sneered. “That’s impossible.”

 

Behind them was a large room with a workshop divided into two sections. One was filled with tools, equipment, and materials, with a wall full of various hammers for forging and striking, and the other was a classroom with tables and chairs.

 

Cao Lanxu had previously taken apprentices but most young people in the town chose to work elsewhere, and fewer were willing to learn. The old man had never married and had no children, dedicating almost all his youth and energy to his silver carving career.

 

The production team had originally planned to go with a “touching” theme, but Cao Lanxu refused to cooperate, showing no emotion or favorable attitude towards anyone.

 

After breakfast, Cao Lanxu ordered Big Gray and Little Gray to clean both large rooms.

 

Lu Wen, adhering to the traditional virtue of “respecting the elderly and loving the young,” picked up a broom for the first time in his life. After he had cleaned up a large portion, Jin Yanyu appeared with styled hair and makeup, casually strolling around, wiping a few tables, and then clapping his hands and leaving.

 

When it was time to learn the craft, Jin Yanyu focused on filming, leaving the hands-on work to his assistant while he played on his phone.

 

After a few times, Cao Lanxu ignored Jin Yanyu, even when they appeared together on camera, looking at him with disdain and a cold snort.

 

“Big Gray, wipe the carving knife!”

 

Lu Wen, wearing an apron with embroidered flowers, went to wipe the carving knife at Cao Lanxu’s command, fully realizing why Jin Yanyu chose him. Being a minor celebrity meant no rights, only a life of hard work. Damn it.

 

“Big Gray, feed the dog!”

 

In his own home, he had a personal chef and nutritionist, but here he had to serve a stray dog. Lu Wen placed the food bowl down, sat on a small stool with his back to the camera, and said to the dog eating from the bowl, “Little Jin, eat slowly; look how eager you are.”

 

“Big Gray, go draw a design!”

 

Lu Wen had never been so fond of the classroom. He sat down, rested his arms on the table, and complained to the camera operator, who was sitting opposite him with a camera. “To be honest, I joined this show for its concept. If I had known it would be this tiring, I would have chosen to donate money directly.”

 

The camera operator chuckled, unwilling to reveal too much.

 

Lu Wen wasn’t too hard on him, tousled his short hair, lowered his brows, and with a slight smile said, “Then at least make me look good in the footage? Close-up, and in the editing, add the caption: ‘The most handsome man is the serious one.’”

 

Lu Wen was drawing a ring, which, though simple, was well-done. After joining the show, he specifically consulted a friend who studied jewelry design. As for the design of the pattern, he kept it simple, planning a basic sketch.

 

After turning in his work and coming out of the room, Jin Yanyu was just coming downstairs, his eyeliner smeared and looking somewhat disheveled. Lu Wen sat on the bench, his work making him tired, and applied hand cream.

 

Jin Yanyu sat next to him, legs spread, and said, “When you’re famous, you won’t have to suffer like this.”

 

Lu Wen responded indifferently, “Oh.”

 

“But will you become famous?” Jin Yanyu teased, “Actually, you’re quite handsome, so it’s hard to say.”

 

As the evening sky was painted with sunset, Lu Wen, annoyed, said, “The sun is setting, Cinderella is going to the ball, so you should quickly head back to the hotel.”

 

Jin Yanyu said, “I’m going to the city tonight.”

 

Lu Wen asked, “What for?”

 

“Having dinner with the investors.” Jin Yanyu pulled out a cigarette box, bit one, lit it, and skillfully blew out circular smoke rings.

 

Lu Wen felt discontented. He was working himself to exhaustion for this show, while Jin Yanyu had already arranged his next resource. He snapped, “So, are you filming a movie or something?”

 

“Is filming a movie such a big deal?” Jin Yanyu said proudly. “The last movie I finished was directed by Zeng Zhen.”

 

Lu Wen thought to himself, it’s just a supporting role. Besides, who besides your fans actually wants to watch you act? “I also finished a shoot,” he replied, “a student film by Zeng Zhen.”

 

Jin Yanyu, lost in the smoke, almost inhaled it, and suppressed a cough as he asked, “What film?”

 

Lu Wen tilted his face towards the camera and answered with a broadcasting tone, “Please look forward to my online drama ‘The First Night.'”

 

Jin Yanyu paused. “Oh, the script by Qian Da.”

 

Lu Wen asked, “You know Qian Da?”

 

“Only heard of him, never met him,” Jin Yanyu said, flicking the ash off his cigarette. “He’s said to be quite low-key. Do you know him?”

 

Lu Wen raised his eyebrows. “Of course I do.”

 

Jin Yanyu took a long drag on his cigarette, sparks flickering, and exhaled a large cloud of smoke. His expression and volume were softened by the mist, a bit dreamy. “What does he look like?”

 

“Sorry, I didn’t study literature well, so I can’t describe Teacher Qian’s outstanding appearance, like a jade-faced gentleman or a starry-eyed scholar. Even Mr. Xu from the north of the city would feel ashamed.”

 

Jin Yanyu said, “That’s just empty talk.”

 

Lu Wen pulled out his phone, opened the photo album, scrolled to a picture of Qian Yanting holding a cat, and showed it to Jin Yanyu. “Then let me show you, open your eyes wide.”

 

“Who cares,” Jin Yanyu said, but his eyes involuntarily glanced over and fixated on the screen.

 

Lu Wen continued, “Online, they say you have the best bone structure among the popular stars. Well, your face shape is somewhat like Teacher Qian’s, but your temperament is worlds apart.”

 

Jin Yanyu looked slightly stunned. “What?”

 

“Temperament, you know?” Lu Wen said. “Read more books, as knowledge and culture naturally enhance one’s aura.”

 

The cigarette burned down to the filter, Jin Yanyu, feeling the heat, stomped it out on the ground and stood up, fuming, “What do you mean ‘know’? Stop annoying me!”

 

Lu Wen, exhausted from the day, had no energy to argue but aimed to provoke, “Don’t be insecure; looks are all thanks to your parents.”

 

Jin Yanyu pushed him away angrily, called out to the crew, and went back to the classroom to re-shoot.

 

Lu Wen went upstairs to his room, lay down on the bed, and kept his phone screen on Qian Yanting’s beautiful photo. After a moment, he remembered something and switched to QQ.

 

He saw last night’s chat history: in a moment of impulse or confusion, he had sent— “I think I’ve fallen for someone.”

 

Shy Writer: “Why ‘think’?”

 

Unlucky Singer: “Because I’m not sure.”

 

Lu Wen wasn’t sure what falling for someone felt like. He wanted to hug the blanket tightly, feeling energized when he picked it up, unable to stop praising, imagining the other person’s fingers while drawing the ring.

 

Did these feelings count?

 

The Shy Writer didn’t ask further, so Lu Wen didn’t continue the conversation. He opened the text box, skipped the previous night’s topic, and asked: “Have you decided about the field trip?”

 

Soon, the Shy Writer replied: “Not yet.”

 

Unlucky Singer: “Don’t stress, it’s okay not to be brave.”

 

Shy Writer: “Then I won’t go.”

 

Unlucky Singer: “You’re giving up too quickly!”

 

Shy Writer: “I’ll think about it some more.”

 

Unlucky Singer: “Please listen to advice…”

 

Lu Wen was just inquiring. After asking, he wandered through various apps, opened Weibo, and checked if there was any promotion for “Utopia” and “Eternal Autumn.” Surely there would be a boost in followers?

 

Logging in, the homepage refreshed with the latest posts.

 

Jin Yanyu had posted two minutes ago: “Here’s a little spoiler. I’ve finally finished the assignment Master Cao gave us!”

 

Lu Wen was stunned, his eyes nearly popping out. The picture Jin Yanyu attached was clearly his own assignment, the ring he had drawn and revised!

 

Lu Wen burst out of his room, shouted at the railing, “Jin, get out here!”

 

The stray dog barked in response, but Jin Yanyu had already left for the investors’ dinner. Lu Wen, enraged, returned to his room, kicked the door shut, and reopened that Weibo post.

 

Among the skyrocketing comments and reposts were all praise from Jin Yanyu’s fans.

 

Lu Wen pressed the repost button, just like commenting on a friend’s post, and wrote: “Sorry, but it seems like this is my drawing.”

 

The sky turned dark red.

 

Qian Yanting closed the window and went downstairs. It was the last working day before the Spring Festival, and everyone in the studio was there, receiving year-end bonuses and small gifts, all in high spirits.

 

As per tradition, they would have dinner together that evening. Qian Yanting said, “I’ll give you a card; is it okay if I don’t join?”

 

Everyone said in unison, “No—”

 

Qian Yanting couldn’t refuse and went with them, after all, they were all in the same boat making money. With people returning to their hometowns before the holiday, the road wasn’t too congested, and they arrived in half an hour.

 

They went to a Korean barbecue restaurant, a spacious place with two long tables. Qian Yanting sat at the end of a table, took off his coat, and used hand sanitizer, saying, “Order whatever you want.”

 

The accountant said, “Let Yu Nan order; he’s a meat enthusiast.”

 

After washing his hands, the menu lay on the table. Yu Nan was focused on his phone across from Qian Yanting. Qian Yanting kicked him under the table and asked, “What are you looking at?”

 

Yu Nan replied, “Seeing if a celebrity has publicly contradicted someone…”

 

Qian Yanting didn’t understand. “What’s that mess about?”

 

“Oh!” Editor Qiao also had her phone out and exclaimed, “Qian, the male lead of your online drama is trending!”

 

Qian Yanting instinctively reached for his phone, then remembered he hadn’t registered on Weibo. However, being on the trending list due to participating in a show was normal; it’s just a promotional tactic.

 

“What’s with all the fuss?”

 

Yu Nan said, “Jin Yanyu posted a design of a ring, saying it’s his drawing. Lu Wen reposted it, claiming it’s his drawing…”

 

“It’s causing quite a stir!” Editor Qiao said. “So who actually drew it?!”

 

Someone said, “It should be Jin Yanyu.”

 

Qian Yanting didn’t fully understand but reacted quickly, rebutting, “Lu Wen wouldn’t lie about this.”

 

“But,” Yu Nan extended his phone, “the design says ‘foryan,’ which is Jin Yanyu’s surname, right?”

 

Qian Yanting took the phone, opened the picture. On rough white paper was a drawing of a ring, with the date and signature in fancy English writing, “foryan.”

 

Looking back at the ring, Qian Yanting’s lips parted slightly. On the narrow ring band was a small swallow, identical to the one on the cover of the script with his name.