The Beautiful but Obscure Star Is Targeted by a Scheming Movie Star - Chapter 21

When Tang Jingran received Yan Jun’s call, he was curled up on the sofa watching television.

Answering the phone, Tang Jingran set down the glass of milk he was drinking. “Hello.”

“How has your rest been these past few days?” Yan Jun asked, performing his routine daily check-in.

“Exceedingly good,” Tang Jingran replied without blinking, his eyes glued to a tense, high-stakes scene unfolding on the screen. “It would be even better if you hadn’t called.”

Yan Jun: “…”

“Alright, stop being cheeky,” Yan Jun switched into professional mode. “Get yourself cleaned up tonight; I’m taking you to a social dinner.”

“A few investors have their eyes on you for a role in a drama. I just received the notice from the company.”

When a person is intensely focused on doing or watching something, they hate being disturbed the most; nothing sinks in. Simply put, it goes in one ear and out the other.

“My vacation has only lasted twenty-two days, sixteen hours, thirty-two minutes, and forty-two seconds. You said you’d give me a month’s leave.” Tang Jingran was busy defending his time off, even gesturing for Yan Jun to lower his voice. “Shh, it’s almost at the climax.”

Yan Jun: “…”

Tang Jingran waited until the plot point finished before speaking again. “Alright, continue.”

Yan Jun: “…”

“Rounding up, you’ve basically reached a month. Hurry up and get ready; I’ll send someone to pick you up in a bit.”

“How is that a month?” Tang Jingran asked, bewildered.

Yan Jun said righteously, “Tell me, is sixteen greater than five?”

Tang Jingran: “…”

You can calculate it like that?

He had learned something new today; the old fox truly was craftier.

“Then when are you going to round up my salary as well?”

Yan Jun chuckled a few times. “I’d like to. Anyway, hurry up and get ready.”

After so many days of rest, Tang Jingran was so comfortable he barely knew which way was up. “Who wants to work these days? Even a dog wouldn’t—”

Yan Jun: “5 million.”

Tang Jingran bounced off the sofa instantly.

“I’m going.”

“I’m a person who just loves working. Working makes me happy and joyful.”

“Don’t worry, by the time you come to get me, I’ll be all finished getting ready.”

Yan Jun shook his head and finished his sentence: “Pre-tax.”

Tang Jingran muttered under his breath, “…Uncle Yan, when did you learn to leave people hanging like that?”

Yan Jun didn’t hear him clearly. “What are you muttering over there?”

“I said, that works too.” Tang Jingran immediately sealed his half-eaten snacks, finished his milk, threw the carton with precision into the trash can, and briskly turned off the TV.

“I’ll be waiting for you to pick me up.”

“Alright, I won’t disturb you further. Get ready.”

Hanging up the phone, Tang Jingran grabbed his toiletries and ducked into the bathroom.

“Get in.”

When Yan Jun arrived, Tang Jingran was already waiting outside.

“Here, take a look at the script for this drama first.” After Tang Jingran got into the car, Yan Jun looked him up and down to ensure everything was in order before handing over the script. He continued, “I’ve had a brief look at this script; the concept is quite good. You’ll be playing the third male lead, a cat demon.”

“I’m playing the third lead?” Tang Jingran took the script, somewhat surprised.

Yan Jun tilted his head to look at him. “Why?”

“I usually play things like performance art specimens. To suddenly let me play the third lead is like…”

Yan Jun prompted, “Like what?”

“Like evolving directly from a single-celled organism into a human being.”

His words made Yan Jun laugh instantly. “What kind of description is that?”

“Hiss.” Yan Jun chewed on the thought for a moment. “Actually, it does have that vibe.”

“Regardless of how things were before, days are always getting better.” Yan Jun’s phone rang with a new call. “Alright, read through it yourself for a bit.”

The drama was titled Legend of the God and the Demon, a xianxia romance period drama.

The setting was a world where humans, demons, and immortals coexisted.

The female lead was a demon hunter living in the human realm with her parents. However, her parents were killed by the demon tribe when she was young. Traumatized into amnesia, she was taken in as a disciple by an immortal sect that had arrived to subdue the demons.

Once grown, the female lead descended the mountain for training and happened to rescue the male lead—the Demon King—who was heavily injured and in human form. The two developed feelings for each other during their time together.

However, the good times didn’t last. The immortal sect discovered her romance with the Demon King and revealed the truth about her family’s massacre by the demons, hoping to use her to eliminate the male lead and unite the three realms. The female lead regained her memories and remembered her parents’ teachings: though they were demon hunters, they did not kill indiscriminately.

The female lead didn’t believe them blindly. She secretly investigated the massacre and discovered that the high-level officials of the immortal sect—who styled themselves as saviors—had murdered her parents to frame the demons in order to seize control of the world. They intended to use her status as a “Goddess” to slaughter the demon tribe.

Upon learning the truth, the female lead joined forces with the male lead to wash away their grievances in blood. They established their own sect to maintain the stability of the three realms and finally ended up together.

The “Demon Cat” played by Tang Jingran was the male lead’s right-hand man and the second-in-command of the demon tribe.

The character profile for the Demon Cat was arrogant, peerless, and suave. Every gesture exuded noble unrestraint; he was a man who would use any means to achieve his goals and loathed the “hypocritical immortals” who wore sheep’s clothing.

Consequently, he had a strong bias against the female lead.

However, through continuous contact, he gradually realized she wasn’t what he thought. He eventually let go of his prejudice and accepted her wholeheartedly.

It was a character who dared to love and hate, with a distinct personality and extreme loyalty.

Tang Jingran was captivated by the role. Although he knew Yan Jun had a sharp eye for projects, he was still pleasantly surprised by the quality of the script.

Just as he wanted to keep reading, Yan Jun finished his call and turned to him. “Alright, we’re here. Let’s get out and head up.”

Tang Jingran stepped out of the car and followed Yan Jun into the international hotel. As they entered the elevator, Yan Jun pressed the button for the top floor.

Noticing the dead silence beside him, Yan Jun turned to see Tang Jingran with a dead-serious expression.

Yan Jun smiled and patted his shoulder. “Nervous?”

Tang Jingran remained stubborn. “No.”

Yan Jun: “Then maybe let go of the hem of your pants before you speak?”

Tang Jingran’s face flushed. He glared at Yan Jun and “swish”—let go of his hands immediately.

Yan Jun suppressed a laugh. “Don’t be nervous. It’s not as solemn as you think. Once we’re inside and the greetings are over, you can just chat casually with people your age.”

Though Tang Jingran acted like he didn’t care, this was his first proper, significant role. It was impossible not to be nervous. Hearing Yan Jun’s words, his heart felt somewhat more at ease.

As soon as Yan Jun entered the room, he began greeting the many people already seated. “Hello, everyone, hello.”

He walked toward a middle-aged man in his forties seated in the center and took the initiative to shake hands. “Hello, President Wang, hello! We meet again!”

The man called President Wang was Wang Quansheng, the head of Tiger Moon Entertainment Group and the primary investor for this drama.

He had very discerning taste; the projects he picked either became massive hits or sleeper hits, rarely losing money. Furthermore, he was upright and bold, disliked the messy “unspoken rules” of the entertainment industry, and preferred to talk business.

“Old Yan is here.” Wang Quansheng shook his hand with a smile. “Let’s not stand on ceremony.”

Saying that, his gaze fell on Tang Jingran, who was a few steps behind. “Is this Tang Jingran?”

“Yes.” Yan Jun stepped aside to make room. “This is our company’s artist, Tang Jingran.”

“Xiao Ran, this is the boss of Tiger Moon Entertainment and our main investor. Say hello.”

“Hello, President Wang. I am Tang Jingran.” Tang Jingran extended his hand neither humbly nor arrogantly, a faint smile on his face.

Wang Quansheng showed a look of appreciation. “You fit the image of the character in my heart perfectly. I look forward to you joining us.”

He turned back to Yan Jun. “As expected of a soldier trained by Old Yan.”

“Oh, stop teasing me.” Yan Jun patted Wang Quansheng’s shoulder as they walked further in, signaling for Tang Jingran to find a seat.

Receiving the signal, Tang Jingran looked for a place to sit. It was a round table, with people sitting outward from the center.

The right side of the table was clearly where the investors and managers sat, so Tang Jingran moved toward the seats on the left.

Five or six people were already sitting on the left, chatting amongst themselves. Since Tang Jingran didn’t know anyone, he intended to take a seat near the edge.

“Hey, come sit next to me!”

A man with a boisterous voice called out to him. Tang Jingran looked toward the sound.

The man had rugged features and medium-length hair slicked back, with a few short strands sticking up at his forehead. A faint smile always played at the corners of his mouth. Overall, he belonged to the handsome, rugged, and dashing type.

“Hello, I’m Tang Jingran.” Tang Jingran sat down next to him and introduced himself.

“Mm, I’m Xue Kai.” Xue Kai reached out. “Shall we shake on it?”

Tang Jingran took his hand.

“You’re really striking.” Xue Kai’s gaze swept over the other’s sharp, exquisite brows and eyes, finally landing on his cool, white skin that looked like polished jade.

“How do you maintain your skin? It looks so good.”

Whether male or female artists, everyone took extra care of their skin, but Xue Kai had truly never seen anyone with skin as smooth as Tang Jingran’s.

“Thank you. You’re very handsome too.” Tang Jingran touched his own face. He wanted to say he didn’t use anything but water, but figured that might come off the wrong way. So, he replied tactfully, “I just use ordinary facial cleanser.”

“What brand?” Xue Kai touched his own face, thinking of buying the same one to try.

Receiving no immediate answer, he turned to see Tang Jingran looking somewhat conflicted.

“What’s wrong?”

Tang Jingran had never actually used “facial cleanser.” He just occasionally used the white solid paste-like items that cashiers at the supermarket would toss in at the checkout.

Tang Jingran thought carefully about the brand.

“Safeguard.”

“What?” Xue Kai looked incredulous.

Tang Jingran looked up at him with clear, dark eyes. He looked perfectly serious and spoke with such conviction that he actually managed to convince Xue Kai.

“You know, the simplest skincare often only requires the most primitive cleansing products.”

Xue Kai was indeed intimidated by the other’s solemn attitude. He gave Tang Jingran’s face a complex look. If the problem could be solved for a few dollars, then what had all the money he’d spent over the years been for?

Was he rich, or just a sucker?

Ultimately, under Tang Jingran’s earnest gaze, he nodded.

“…Alright, I’ll buy a bar and try it when I get back.”

Tang Jingran wasn’t technically lying. Although he hadn’t used “facial cleanser,” he had indeed gone through several bars of Safeguard soap. Moreover, he felt his face was always very smooth after washing.

Xue Kai took out his phone to order Safeguard and asked, “How much of the script have you read? What role are you playing?”

“So far, I’ve learned about the background and the character of the cat demon I’m playing.” Tang Jingran asked, “Why?”

“Then you haven’t finished it yet.” Xue Kai leaned in a bit closer, his eyes lingering on Tang Jingran’s exceptionally long eyelashes. “We’re partners.”

Xue Kai was playing the male lead’s other right-hand man, a dog demon.

He had only recently found out his partner this time was a man; to put it bluntly, the two of them were going to be tied together as a “CP” (Couple). He had been a bit reluctant at first, but seeing Tang Jingran now, he felt it wasn’t out of the question.

Tang Jingran didn’t pull away. His dark eyes swept over Xue Kai.

Then, the corners of his mouth curled into a perfect smile. “Mhm. Looking forward to working together.”

Tang Jingran’s features were sharp and cold, yet his eyes seemed to possess a natural, indescribable charm, especially when he wore that half-smile. These two temperaments blended together to create a soul-stirring allure.

Xue Kai had originally wanted to test Tang Jingran’s reaction to see if he was repulsed. Caught off guard by this look, a deep flush spread from his neck to his cheeks, and his heart even skipped a beat.

“Holy crap, holy crap! You… you… stay away from me!” Xue Kai couldn’t even speak straight.

Oh mama, this is too dangerous. I almost had my twenty-plus years of sexual orientation bent into a mountain road with eighteen switchbacks!

Tang Jingran pulled back his smile, returning to his usual self. “Are you alright?”

Xue Kai took a sip of water to calm down. “I’m fine.”

After saying that, he stole another glance at Tang Jingran and spoke with a bit of embarrassment.

“You’re just too good-looking. I’m shy.”

Tang Jingran couldn’t help but chuckle. He was about to speak when the sound of the door opening behind him caught his attention. With the smile still on his face, he locked eyes with the tall, cold man standing in the doorway.

It was Gong Yingxiao.