After the Pretty Cannon Fodder Was Coveted by the Best Actor - Chapter 5

“Brother Gu, just help me this one time.”

Jian Shuyu waited for Fu Minglou in the private room, having given instructions that he would not see any guests tonight. He had thought he could keep a night of peace and quiet, but outside, the noise suddenly and inexplicably began to rise. Subconsciously, he pushed open the box door to look outside and asked a passing waiter in the corridor, only to learn that a customer was making a scene, insisting on barging in despite knowing Jian Shuyu was not seeing guests.

“Sir, Shuyu has an appointment tonight; Shuyu will treat you to a drink tomorrow night instead.” Even though annoyance rose in his heart, Jian Shuyu still greeted the person with a smile.

However, the guest was not buying it. Holding an opened bottle of foreign liquor, he shoved it straight against Jian Shuyu’s lips. “You’re just a dancer, what are you acting so high and mighty for? Drink this.”

Before the guest could force the alcohol down Jian Shuyu’s throat, Fu Minglou rushed over from the entrance, raised his hand, and forcefully snatched the bottle away. Raising his eyes and seeing that it was the young master of the Fu family, the man naturally dared not provoke him and was quickly escorted out by the waiters.

“Thank you, Young Master Fu, for coming to the rescue.” Jian Shuyu quickly recovered his warm and sociable demeanor from handling people in everyday life. “I’ve already opened the wine for Young Master Fu, just waiting for you to take your seat.”

Fu Minglou did not rush to enter, instead resting his gaze on Jian Shuyu’s cheongsam. “It must be because I wasn’t careful just now; your clothes are all splashed with wine.”

Only then did Jian Shuyu notice the damp patch on his chest. He smiled indifferently, remarking that Fu Minglou had only been defending him against the guest, so how could he blame the young master over such a minor matter.

Fu Minglou took off his own outer coat and draped it over Jian Shuyu, perfectly covering the wine stain. Seeming somewhat surprised by this gesture, Jian Shuyu raised his head to meet Fu Minglou’s gaze, wanting to say something, but Fu Minglou stepped into the private room first. “Didn’t you already open the wine? Don’t waste any more time here.”

Half the night had passed, and the wine bottles on the table were long since empty. Jian Shuyu drank the very last drop of wine in his glass without showing a trace of intoxication, whereas Fu Minglou’s face flushed red, prompting Jian Shuyu to let out a light laugh. “Does Young Master Fu not drink often?”

“Not often.” Fu Minglou set down his wine glass and made to take his leave. Jian Shuyu escorted him to the entrance of the Night Capital. Originally planning to take a rickshaw back, a torrential downpour suddenly started, and he stood under the eaves. “It looks like Shuyu can only see Young Master Fu off to here today.”

“Get in the car, I’ll send you.” As soon as Fu Minglou finished speaking, someone got out of a sedan not far away holding an umbrella, shifting his gaze directly to Jian Shuyu. “Take Miss Shuyu to the car first.”

Jian Shuyu naturally found it difficult to refuse politely. He sat in the back seat with Fu Minglou, while the person who had held the umbrella took the steering wheel and asked Fu Minglou where they were heading. Fu Minglou instructed the driver to take Jian Shuyu back first, and the latter gave the address of East Third Street before the driver started the car.

East Third Street consisted of low, flat houses, mostly places where impoverished people lived. Out of the corner of his eye, Fu Minglou quietly glanced at Jian Shuyu sitting beside him. Considering he was a popular dancer at the Night Capital, he hadn’t expected him to live such a bitterly modest life.

When the car reached East Third Street, it coincided with the rain growing heavier and rainwater pooling on the street. No matter how the driver maneuvered, the car refused to budge, likely having stalled. “Young master, once the water recedes, I’ll get out and fix it so we can move.”

“How long are we going to wait for that?” Fu Minglou frowned imperceptibly. The rain outside showed no sign of stopping, and seeing this, Jian Shuyu finally spoke up. “My place isn’t far from here; would you like to come in and sit at my humble home to wait a bit?”

“Is it convenient?”

“There’s nothing inconvenient about it. Shuyu lives alone, so there’s no need to worry about disturbing anyone.”

“Don’t you have a son?”

Jian Shuyu quickly understood that Fu Minglou was referring to the little orphan he had seen at the military garrison that day, and he couldn’t help laughing. “Shuyu couldn’t possibly give birth to a son that old.”

Hearing this, Fu Minglou couldn’t help letting out a soft chuckle himself. He didn’t decline, though the driver had to stay behind in the car, saying he would promptly notify the young master once the water subsided.

Jian Shuyu led Fu Minglou, carefully wading through the pooled water, cutting through the alleys and lanes, and finally stopping at the house deepest inside. The furnishings inside were simple, but kept clean and tidy.

Coming all the way through the rain, even with an umbrella, it was hard not to get damp from the rain. Jian Shuyu rummaged through the wardrobe for a clean set of men’s clothing and handed it to Fu Minglou. “Coarse cloth and linen; if you don’t mind, please bear with it, Young Master Fu.”

Before Fu Minglou could figure out why Jian Shuyu lived alone yet had men’s clothing in his home, the other person first removed the coat Fu Minglou had draped over him, then unbuttoned the frog buttons of his cheongsam. As if treating Fu Minglou as non-existent, within moments he had stripped himself clean.

“You…” Fu Minglou hurriedly averted his gaze. “A gentleman does not look at what is improper.”

Jian Shuyu didn’t rush to put on clothes, instead laughing behind Fu Minglou’s back. He didn’t use the delicate, suppressed voice he usually used, but rather a man’s habitual speaking voice: “Has Young Master Fu not figured it out yet? Shuyu is a man.”

Fu Minglou seemed too astonished to speak. Even if he was unwilling to believe it, the voice he had just heard was enough to explain everything. Jian Shuyu leaned close to Fu Minglou. “Even so, is Young Master Fu unwilling to turn around and look at me?”

“What is there to look at on a man?”

“I heard from Old Master Fu that the young master has no intention of marrying a wife.” Jian Shuyu’s fingertips tapped against Fu Minglou’s shoulder. “Is it because you haven’t run into a girl you like and find suitable, or because you simply don’t like girls at all?”

“Jian Shuyu,” as if a hidden corner had been abruptly smashed open, Fu Minglou couldn’t help feeling somewhat irritated by embarrassment. “Do not spout groundless nonsense.”

“Whether it is groundless or not, you will know once you try, Young Master Fu.”

Jian Shuyu stood completely bare before Fu Minglou like this, wrapping his arms around Fu Minglou’s neck and pressing a kiss to his lips. This kiss was very light, a brief touch akin to skimming the surface, as if it truly were merely a test.

Fu Minglou instinctively pushed him away, actively putting a distance between himself and Jian Shuyu. If not for the torrential rain outside, he likely would have bolted right through the door regardless of anything else. “Please have some self-respect.”

“Self-respect, is it?” Jian Shuyu then changed back into clean clothes. “In order to survive, I gave up too much long ago.”

Fu Minglou remained silent, only quietly gazing at his profile. Jian Shuyu turned away to fiddle with the incense burner in the corner of the room. He had specifically lit incense, made of something unknown, which smelled very comforting to Fu Minglou.

“Shuyu came here following the refugees and has been separated from my family for many years.” Jian Shuyu sat before the desk. “My body is frail; I can’t lift heavy things like other young people, so I couldn’t go to the docks to do hard labor. That’s why I came to the Night Capital. At first, I worked as a waiter, but ever since I caught the eye of the nobles visiting the Night Capital, everything changed.”

“Did they force you?”

“I had no choice. Offend a government official, and no one has an easy time.”

Fu Minglou fell silent for a long moment. “Does the Night Capital treat you harshly?”

“Not at all. It’s just that I am unwilling to use that money to enjoy a life of luxury and wealth.”

At this moment, Jian Shuyu’s expression faded, as if he were no longer the same person who had kissed Fu Minglou just moments ago. His gaze rested on the small window inside the room, and he suddenly began to hum a little tune.

“The brilliant lights come on over glazed tiles, yet who knows the duckweed is desolate and has nowhere to lean.”

This scene ended amidst Xian Sui’s singing. The set had been cleared during the nude scene, but for the subsequent short dramatic scene, people had gathered around again.

Looking at the artificial rain outside that had just barely stopped, he inexplicably thought of the time Gu Fanzhou had driven him back to the hotel.

While he was still spacing out on his end, Gu Fanzhou spoke first to interrupt his train of thought: “You know how to sing tunes?”

“I do, I learned a bit.”

Gu Fanzhou fell silent for a moment, and the topic abruptly shifted in a very stiff direction: “Now that you’ve got your paycheck, you can afford to live in a nicer place.”

“Thanks for your concern, I’m doing just fine like this.” Xian Sui spoke the truth; he genuinely couldn’t figure out why Gu Fanzhou suddenly started caring about his living arrangements.

Gu Fanzhou did not reply further, instead walking away on his own from the original shooting area. Even when Xie Tangqing approached him, he had no intention of entertaining her, showing her zero face.

How hurtful to a young girl’s heart. Xian Sui sighed inwardly, and just as he was about to go change, before he had even taken a few steps, his path was blocked by Xie Zhuangqiu, who had been watching from the side. “So you’re an artist with Award-Winning Star Entertainment, I’m just getting to know you.”

“President Xie is a busy man of high standing; it’s only natural not to recognize everyone.” Facing Xie Zhuangqiu, Xian Sui felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

“But from now on I will remember you.” Xie Zhuangqiu smiled naturally. “Your performance just now was quite good; I got somewhat drawn into the act myself.”

Xian Sui politely thanked Xie Zhuangqiu for the praise. The latter expressed great admiration for Xian Sui’s performance, mentioning that he would be having a dinner party with investors at the hotel after a while, and he hoped Xian Sui could attend.

Receiving an invitation like this was both an opportunity and a dragon’s pool and tiger’s den for Xian Sui. He was no innocent flower in a greenhouse; he knew the entertainment industry was a massive dyeing vat, where all sorts of schemes played out behind the scenes and one could not always easily guess what another person’s heart was plotting beneath their skin.

On the surface it was an invitation, but the other party was President Xie of Award-Winning Star Entertainment, and Xian Sui had zero bargaining power in front of him.

Xian Sui specially changed into formal attire and drove himself downstairs to the hotel to attend the appointment. When he entered and gave Xie Zhuangqiu’s name, a waiter led him to the door of the private room, where the seats inside were already nearly full.

Xian Sui was noticed by Xie Zhuangqiu, who raised a hand to signal him to sit in the empty seat beside him, then introduced him to the others present as the lead actor of Peach Blossoms Unseen, personally hand-picked by Yu Zhifu.

Xian Sui felt like a robot programmed with formulas, watching his wine glass get filled to the brim over and over again, among which Xie Zhuangqiu frequently urged him to drink.

Barely halfway through the dinner party, Xian Sui had already lost count of how many glasses of alcohol he had downed. His alcohol tolerance wasn’t great to begin with, and at this point, he couldn’t handle it at all, hurriedly trying to brush it off by claiming he felt unwell. Xie Zhuangqiu immediately tilted his head to look at him. “How do you feel? Do you need me to send you up to a room upstairs to rest first?”

“I’ll just head back myself, thank you for your concern, President Xie.” Xian Sui instinctively refused.

“You’re by yourself, and you’ve been drinking. It wouldn’t be very appropriate if something happened on the way.” Xie Zhuangqiu pressed down on Xian Sui, who was clearly already growing restless to leave. “After things wrap up here, I’ll send you back.”

Though he couldn’t quite put his finger on what was wrong, Xian Sui had a gut feeling that Xie Zhuangqiu wasn’t genuinely worried about him. Being just a minor actor he had only met a few times, a person like Xie Zhuangqiu wouldn’t care about him to this extent unless he had alternative motives.

Xian Sui had no way to leave the gathering early, so he could only wait anxiously for the dinner to end, fortunately keeping the wine glass in front of him consistently empty.

He planned to secretly contact his assistant to drive over and pick him up, but his action was anticipated in advance by Xie Zhuangqiu, whose palm immediately pressed down on his. “Calling a designated driver? My assistant is waiting outside, no need to bother.”

This practically felt like intentionally preventing him from leaving on his own, which felt wrong no matter how he looked at it.

By the time the dinner party concluded, Xian Sui still hadn’t figured out how he was going to slip away. The waiters at the entrance had all been briefed by Xie Zhuangqiu when he arrived, so even if he tried to find a way to the hotel lobby now, he likely wouldn’t be able to walk out without Xie Zhuangqiu’s nod.

“How are you feeling? I’ll send you.” Xie Zhuangqiu fished out his car keys from his pocket. “My car is parked right downstairs, and my assistant is already waiting in it.”

Xian Sui’s heart skipped a beat with acute alertness. He certainly didn’t dare to rashly get into a car with Xie Zhuangqiu like this. In his haste, he randomly grabbed an excuse to go to the restroom, pushed open the men’s room door, and rushed straight to the sink to splash some water on his face to calm himself down.

Only then did he notice someone beside him also turning on the faucet. Subconsciously turning his head to look, he saw Gu Fanzhou already placing his hand under the hand dryer, paying him no mind as he was about to walk right out of the washroom.

“Brother Gu.” Without thinking much, Xian Sui instinctively grabbed Gu Fanzhou’s arm to block his movement.

Gu Fanzhou turned his head to look at him coldly, without saying a word.

“Can you,” Xian Sui bit the bullet and opened his mouth, “help me?”

Gu Fanzhou let out a scoff. “Help you with what? Are you dissatisfied with cozying up to Xie Zhuangqiu, or do you want to strike up a connection with me on the side as well?”

“I just want to leave this place.”

“What, changed your tune? When did the sun start rising from the west?”

“I want to be a good person now,” Xian Sui stammered out a messy explanation. “Now that I’ve been given this opportunity as Jian Shuyu, I want to give it a serious and earnest try, whether you believe it or not.”

Gu Fanzhou paused quite noticeably. “What you think doesn’t matter to me.”

“Whatever the case, Brother Gu, just help me this one time, I…” Xian Sui had no other options; he could only repeat these words that couldn’t even convince himself, still hoping Gu Fanzhou might soften his heart.

Gu Fanzhou looked like an audience member watching a play from the stalls, his gaze lingering on the pleading Xian Sui for quite a long while.

“Come with me.”

Xian Sui instantly let out a sigh of relief, quickly following in Gu Fanzhou’s footsteps out of the washroom, heading in the direction of the private room where Xie Zhuangqiu was.

Clearly, Gu Fanzhou was aware of this dinner party and might even have a rough idea of what was happening inside.

“Fanzhou,” Xie Zhuangqiu noticed Gu Fanzhou stepping into the private room, his gaze involuntarily shifting to Xian Sui following closely behind. “I didn’t expect you to be here too.”

“I came specifically to borrow someone from President Xie. Xian Sui still needs to discuss script issues with me, so I’m afraid he’ll have to come back with me tonight.”

“It’s nearly eleven o’clock at night now, Fanzhou. What time is better suited for doing, you know very well.” Xie Zhuangqiu’s tone sounded somewhat impatient.

Xie Zhuangqiu didn’t give in as easily as one might imagine, and Xian Sui instinctively cast his gaze toward Gu Fanzhou, who showed not the slightest trace of panic.

“It’s precisely because I know that I’m taking him away.”

Gu Fanzhou put his arm around Xian Sui’s waist with feigned casualness, rubbing and kneading him ambiguously right under Xie Zhuangqiu’s very eyes.

“I suppose President Xie wouldn’t fancy eating fish from someone else’s bowl.”

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