After a Flash Marriage to a Stern Daddy, I Can't Get Divorced - Chapter 2

That night, Yun Yao dreamed. It was a bizarre, fragmented dream with a completely tangled timeline.

First, he was back in his childhood. His parents loved each other, and their home was filled with happiness. Every day, his mother would teach him how to play the violin, and every evening, his father would come home carrying his favorite little cake.

But on this particular night, he and his mother waited and waited, yet his father never returned.

From that moment on, his mother never taught him the violin again. She became volatile, snapping into rales of temper, constantly beating and screaming at him.

Later, his father finally came back. Little Yun Yao ran forward to throw his arms around him, only to be shoved to the ground by the young boy standing at his father’s side.

Before his tears could even fall, his mother lunged forward with a knife and sliced his father’s head clean off. Yun Yao’s eyes widened in horror as he watched his father’s head roll across the floor, spinning until it bumped right against his feet.

He wanted to run, but his feet were glued to the floor. He wanted to scream, but no sound would come out.

He could only watch helplessly as his father’s blood flooded the entire house, turning his entire field of vision into a suffocating, overwhelming crimson.

Just when the red was about to consume his mind, that man appeared and carried him away.

The man’s massive hands were warm, and his eyes were filled with tenderness as he placed him onto a massive bed.

The bed rolled and pitched like boundless waves, leaving Yun Yao able to hear nothing but their heavy, tangled breathing.

It grew louder and louder, heavier and heavier.

He was thrown up into the clouds, then dropped heavily into a pool of warm water.

Opening his eyes beneath the surface, he saw Yu Cheng, standing in the middle of last night’s snowstorm.

The man was still wearing the same black tactical jacket and combat boots from the night before, carrying that same fiercely aggressive look in his eyes.

With just a single glance, a piercing, bitter chill flooded Yun Yao’s eyes, his mouth, and his entire body.

He struggled and screamed, entirely unable to break free, leaving him with no choice but to be forcefully devoured by the man.

Eventually, he stopped fighting, sinking into the darkness and beginning to find a strange pleasure in the restriction.

When Yun Yao opened his eyes again, sunlight was already streaming across the windowsill. He shielded his eyes, peering at the bright morning through the gaps between his fingers.

He had dreamed of him again.

For the past two years, he had frequently had this exact same dream. The protagonist was always the same, cold, stern, and powerful, always dragging him out of his nightmares.

The only problem was that he could never see the man’s face clearly. The only difference was that in last night’s dream, the face had suddenly become distinct.

It was that man named Yu.

Yun Yao slapped his own cheek in frustration. He had already told himself it wasn’t him, so why was he still having these kinds of dreams!

He had actually desecrated a man he had only met once in such an absurd way.

He let out a soft sigh. Fortunately, they probably wouldn’t run into each other ever again.

At ten o’clock sharp, Yun Yao arrived at the company to report for duty. Normally, artists didn’t need to come to the office every day, but because Yun Yao’s popularity had been skyrocketing lately, Wei You wanted to seize the moment to map out his future direction. That was the only reason he had ordered him to come in for daily meetings.

Throughout the morning, Yun Yao sat in the conference room listening to planning presentations for hours. By the time he walked out, he looked as though his very soul had been drained.

God, I don’t want to work like a corporate slave, I just want a hug, ahhhhh…

Wei You looked at him with a mix of frustration and disappointment. “Look at you. This meeting is crucial for your career development. Can’t you snap out of it?”

Yun Yao could only ask casually to change the subject, “…Are there any good scripts lately?”

Wei You pushed a thick stack of scripts across the desk toward him.

“These were all just sent over. Right now, the company is prioritizing you, so take a look and see if there’s anything you like.”

Despite his words, Wei You didn’t actually hold out much hope. He knew exactly what their company’s true capabilities were.

Star Entertainment had originally transitioned from an influencer agency. Over all these years, they had only managed to produce two artists who could actually be called celebrities: Yun Yao and Ji Xiangchen.

Ji Xiangchen came from an idol survival show background. He had participated in various auditions and competitions since he was a kid but had never managed to debut. It wasn’t until he signed with Star Entertainment and filmed a collaborative vlog with a massive influencer that he finally broke through. Slowly building up his popularity over time, he had only recently managed to become a familiar face to the public as a hardworking idol.

Yun Yao, on the other hand, had been scouted through proper channels. Because his looks were so extraordinary, the company skipped the usual pre-debut hype phase. He was the very first artist to follow a traditional debut process, and the executives held incredibly high expectations for him, hoping to use him to officially rebrand the company.

Yun Yao hadn’t let them down either. After taking acting classes for a mere two months, he landed a role in He Lindong’s drama. Once it aired, its popularity completely crushed the other two dramas airing during the same time slot, becoming an absolute viral sensation.

Strictly speaking, he had achieved all of this based on his own merit and a stroke of luck. His current stardom had absolutely nothing to do with the company’s investments.

Setting aside Yun Yao’s minor quirks, Wei You actually liked him quite a bit. In his eyes, Yun Yao was a highly compliant artist, neither blindly arrogant nor aimlessly ambitious. Once he received his signing bonus, he remained dedicated to his current role and responsibilities, never slacking off or merely coasting along.

The real problem lay with the company’s management, who were unprofessional and lacked proper industry resources. Their entire operation revolved solely around making quick money, to the point where they wouldn’t hesitate to have him act as a pimp for the artists, expecting them to secure their own opportunities through questionable means.

Wei You was no saint either. Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, he had grown entirely accustomed to the overt and covert transactions that took place here.

A month ago, he had simply gone with the flow and sent Yun Yao straight to Qin Sheng. Thinking back on it now, he still felt a lingering dread. He just couldn’t understand why the other party, who clearly possessed an incredible background, hadn’t given him any explicit demands. The man had only told him to manage Yun Yao well and to keep his mind clean of any dirty schemes.

But while he could control his own actions, how could he possibly control the company?

Recently, seeing that Yun Yao’s commercial value was rising higher and higher, the executives had been constantly pressuring him to book high-paying commercial events for Yun Yao. Wei You was under immense pressure and had to use all his eloquence, promising the management that if they gave him just one more year, money would flow into the company like an endless stream, which finally managed to temporarily pacify them.

He only hoped that Yun Yao’s luck would hold up, allowing him to keep rising and secure even better resources so the executives would abandon their filthy intentions.

Seeing that Wei You was still staring fixedly at him, Yun Yao couldn’t help but speak up.

“I promise I’ll finish reading all of these today. Go ahead and look after whatever else you need to do.”

Hearing Yun Yao’s promise, Wei You finally left with a heavy heart to arrange things for his other artists. All the while, he muttered to himself that since that powerful figure had the ability to banish someone to a deserted island, why couldn’t he just allocate some better resources to Yun Yao?

In the afternoon, Yun Yao curled up in his office and skimmed through a dozen scripts. His head throbbed from reading, yet he didn’t find a single compelling character.

When Ji Xiangchen walked in, he saw a mountain of rejected scripts piled up right by Yun Yao’s hand.

“I could hear you sighing all the way down from the basement practice room.”

Seeing him enter, Yun Yao simply tossed the script he was holding aside.

“What else is there to sigh about? I’m just marveling at how talented screenwriters are these days. If they didn’t have a stomach full of cheap melodrama, they couldn’t possibly write such mind-boggling plots.”

Ji Xiangchen sat down beside him, casually flipping through the scripts on the desk, looking rather envious.

“It’s already a blessing to have this many scripts sent your way. If it were me, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams.”

Yun Yao looked at Ji Xiangchen curiously. “Don’t you love singing and dancing the most? Do you want to act too?”

Ji Xiangchen let out a bitter laugh. “The market is in a downturn. Having any work at all is already pretty good, I’m in no position to be picky.”

Realization finally dawned on Yun Yao.

“That’s true. When I ran into Director Zhang the day before yesterday, he even asked me if I had any interest in doing livestream sales.”

Ji Xiangchen had originally envied Yun Yao, but hearing this, he felt a wave of sympathy.

“Did you agree?”

“I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t say no either. I told him to discuss it with Wei, who hasn’t brought it up with me these past two days, so he’s probably still weighing the options. What about you? I remember you seemed to have a regular spot on a music variety show recently?”

“I only signed for three episodes. I’m getting eliminated in the next one,” Ji Xiangchen said.

Yun Yao’s lips twitched. He had put his foot right in his mouth, feeling a sudden urge to slap himself.

Seeing Yun Yao’s frozen expression, Ji Xiangchen smiled, his tone actually turning a bit lighter.

“I’m the one getting eliminated, not you.”

“If it were me, I’d be drowned in public criticism by the very first episode,” Yun Yao joked, letting out a self-deprecating sigh. “We really are brothers in misfortune.”

Ji Xiangchen wasn’t nearly as discouraged as Yun Yao. He had started out as a trainee at the age of ten and had been running around participating in auditions since he was fifteen. He had experienced every kind of messy situation imaginable. His current circumstance was already far better than his past, at least he now possessed a dedicated fanbase.

“Things are already very good right now. My total followers across all platforms are close to ten million, and you’ve recently gone viral too. I believe our future will definitely get better and better.”

Yun Yao really liked Ji Xiangchen’s personality. He was hardworking and resilient, looking as though absolutely nothing could break him.

“You’re right. We’ve already been through the worst of it, so nothing but good days lie ahead.”

Ji Xiangchen didn’t stay long before heading back to practice. When Wei You walked back in, he found Yun Yao leaning against the window, staring blankly outside.

“Didn’t pick one?”

Yun Yao watched the sky outside gradually darken, shaking his head numbly.

“Maybe it’s because I have zero illusions about romance, so I just can’t appreciate the beauty of these melodramatic plots.”

Wei You filled his thermos with water, crossing his arms as he squatted down in front of Yun Yao.

“…Otherwise, you could just treat these purely as a job. Grit your teeth, and the money will be yours.”

Yun Yao withdrew his gaze, glancing at him sideways.

“Are you sure it’s really that simple?”

Wei You smacked his lips.

“It’s simple for you, but difficult for others.”

Yun Yao wasn’t actually naturally gifted, but he was willing to learn and study. When he was first asked to play a domineering CEO, he had forced himself to binge-watch a dozen trashy CEO dramas in a single night just to study the actors’ expressions and delivery.

The final results turned out quite well, far exceeding the director’s expectations. During filming, his performance felt more natural than that of some professional actors.

The facts proved that hard work paid off, and Wei You thought very highly of him.

Unfortunately, what nobody knew was that Yun Yao’s entire motivation for doing all this was solely to continue admiring top-tier visuals up close. If he couldn’t appreciate beautiful things from a short distance, it was practically no different from killing him.

After a moment of thought, Yun Yao asked Wei You about his upcoming schedule.

“If I want to keep moving up, this half-baked acting skill of mine definitely won’t cut it. Find a proper acting class for me to attend. Don’t get me those superficial courses, I want something substantial. If the company budget isn’t enough, you can deduct it from my salary.”

“Oh, sweetheart, if you keep being this good, I’m going to cry tears of joy in my sleep,” Wei You said, immensely relieved. “I heard that Best Actor He Lindong is opening an acting masterclass in the next couple of days. I’ll figure out a way to see if I can squeeze you in.”

Yun Yao’s eyes lit up, looking pleasantly surprised. “Really?”

He Lindong was one of the few actors he considered to possess both genuine talent and refined cultivation. The man was also very easygoing, and Yun Yao had benefited immensely during the days they shared on set.

“Really!” Wei You nodded with certainty.

Although Wei You’s temperament fluctuated, he was always a man of his word. Having received his confirmation, Yun Yao headed back home carrying the unfinished scripts.

At six o’clock sharp, Yun Yao’s social media platform updated his status.

Yun Yao: Leaving work. [Sunset.jpg]

Almost instantly, this update was delivered to every account tracking Yun Yao.

Wei You liked the post almost immediately, sighing once again over how he had managed to sign an artist as disciplined and driven as Yun Yao.

At the exact same time, sitting inside the iconic Hong Kong Tower in the heart of Hong Kong, Yu Cheng also heard the notification sound for his priority alerts.

Opening his phone and looking at the soft yet striking photo, the sharp, severe edge between his brows softened slightly.

Seeing this, the assistant lowered his voice.

“President Yu, we just received word that Yun Yao’s manager is asking around everywhere to get him into a masterclass. Should we step in to help?”

Yu Cheng thought for a moment. “You may leave first. I have a plan for this.”

The assistant nodded, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as he slipped out of the room.

He Lindong had barely heard his manager, Sister Hua, mention Yun Yao’s situation when Yu Cheng’s call came through. Just as he had guessed, this man had indeed planted people around Yun Yao. Curving his lips into a silent curse at the old fox, he finally answered the phone.

“How rare, President Yu.”

Yu Cheng didn’t seem to care for the title, reminding him coolly, “Do you still want the investment for your new film?”

“Right away, Mr. Yu.”

Yu Cheng: “…”

To He Lindong’s surprise, Yu Cheng didn’t mention the acting class at all. Instead, he asked him for a property located in a somewhat less desirable neighborhood, leaving He Lindong completely baffled.

“Don’t you know Yun Yao’s manager is begging everyone under the sun to get him into my acting class?”

Yu Cheng’s tone remained unchanged. “I know.”

“Then why aren’t you asking me for the favor?”

“You’ve already sent out the offer, why would I need to ask you?”

“!!!” He Lindong was shocked. “You planted people around me too?”

“I am not that free,” Yu Cheng replied, sounding utterly uninterested.

“Then how did you know I just sent out Yun Yao’s admission notice?” He Lindong asked, half-believing and half-doubting.

“Genuinely guessed.”

He Lindong: “…”

The call disconnected, and Sister Hua burst out laughing immediately.

“I see you’re never going to turn the tables in this lifetime. President Yu has you completely figured out.”

He Lindong had entered the industry early, so he possessed both networks and capital. Thanks to the guidance of industry veterans, he was more than willing to mentor talented newcomers when he had the time. However, acting classes were divided into many categories.

There were courses designed for formally trained actors and others for non-professionals. Given Wei You’s usual track record, neither He Lindong nor Sister Hua would typically bother with him. Offering him a few introductory sessions would already be considered a massive favor, but the artist Wei You managed wasn’t just anyone.

It was Yun Yao.

Back when The Depth of Winter was casting, Yun Yao’s face was undeniably gorgeous, but his acting was genuinely awkward. The four judges had mixed reviews. He Lindong had initially wanted to select someone from his alumni network, but after receiving a call from Yu Cheng, he made an exception to bring the boy on board.

There was a three-month gap between the audition and actual filming. When production began, He Lindong had worried that Yun Yao would turn into a liability that ruined the entire project, so he personally guided him through his blocking and delivery on set.

To his surprise, in just three short months, Yun Yao had improved tremendously. He showed immense intuition, and his personality was gentle and cooperative, entirely different from many arrogant young idols. With every subsequent scene, his progress became visible to the naked eye.

He Lindong had been incredibly surprised.

Although the barrier to entry in this industry was low, individuals with genuine talent were rare. He Lindong was very willing to guide Yun Yao, and Yun Yao hadn’t disappointed him at all, remaining grounded while keeping a touch of innocent purity.

Initially, he had worried that after spending too much time in this circle, the boy would become jaded and simply go with the flow.

Fortunately, Yun Yao was driven to improve on his own, and with an old fox like Yu Cheng backing him up, there was absolutely no need for outside concern.

Yun Yao received the notification that very night. He had been nodding off while reading his scripts, but the next second, he leaped straight out of bed.

The sudden movement startled Hetao, who had been curled up by the bay window, causing the cat to bolt straight onto the floor.

Two years ago, Yun Yao hadn’t even known the meaning of living. He couldn’t muster up the energy for anything, spending his days drowning in the wreckage of his toxic family, constantly thinking about how to spite his bastard father and drag him down to hell along with that mistress and her son.

It wasn’t until that night, when he had stumbled into the Xi family’s territory completely drenched in blood, that he managed to secure a brief sanctuary from that man.

Only after that did he gradually begin to build a life of his own, even though his nights were still frequently interrupted by terrifying nightmares.

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